The Massachusetts Appellate Division of the District Court – North District recently issued a decision regarding whether retention bonuses constitute wages under the Massachusetts Wage Act, G.L. c. 149, § 148 (the “Wage Act”). In the matter of Nunez v. Syncsort Incorporated, NO. 23-ADCV-63NO, the court ruled that retention bonuses are not wages under the
McLane Middleton Blogs
Blog Authors
Latest from McLane Middleton
IRS Releases Guidance on Disaster Relief Under Qualified Plans and IRAs
The IRS recently issued a new fact sheet to answer certain FAQs about the rules in SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (the “Act”) that give special rights under certain qualified retirement plans and IRAs to individuals impacted by major disasters that occur or occurred on or after January 26, 2021. The Act was enacted in…
MASSACHUSETTS ISSUES NEW WORKERS’ COMPENSATION NOTICE THAT MUST BE POSTED BY SEPTEMBER 16
The Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents recently announced that it has revised the workers’ compensation Notice to Employees poster and has established new notice requirements.…
2024 Massachusetts Employment Law Update
This year’s Massachusetts Employment Law Update presented by McLane Middleton’s employment attorneys will take place on Thursday, October 10, 2024 from 8:00a.m. to 12:30p.m. at the Crowne Plaza in Woburn. This half-day event will provide important legal updates relating to the human resource function of business. Join our employment attorneys in discussing the latest trends…
Texas Federal Court Sets Aside the FTC’s Rule Banning Non-Competes, With the Court’s Order Having Nationwide Effect
Last week brought a major development in litigation surrounding the FTC’s sweeping rule that would ban and render unenforceable most non-compete clauses in employment contracts. Specifically, on August 20, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas in Ryan LLC, et al. v. FTC issued an order setting aside the FTC’s rule nationwide,…
New Hampshire Adopts New Law Prohibiting Workplace Discrimination Based on Protective Hairstyles
New Hampshire has adopted a law that creates a private cause of action for discrimination based on hairstyles related to a person’s ethnicity.
On July 3, 2024, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu signed HB 1169-FN. The law adopts a version of the Model CROWN Act (“Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair”),…
Sununu Signs New Law Relating to Firearms in Employee Vehicles
Until now, private employers in New Hampshire have been able to prohibit employees from storing guns in personal vehicles parked in employer parking lots. Employers could prohibit all firearms on their premises, permit firearms, or place conditions on the right to possess firearms on the employer’s premises. On July 15, 2024, Governor Sununu signed into…
Massachusetts Governor Signs Pay Transparency and Wage Data Reporting Law
Massachusetts has joined a growing list of states and other localities to implement pay transparency legislation.
On July 31, 2024, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy signed into law Bill H.4890. The Bill contains new pay transparency and wage reporting requirements applicable to certain employers with employees in Massachusetts.…
Federal Trade Commission’s Non-Compete Ban: A Battle of the Courts
By Vineesha Sow
In a significant and sweeping move, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) adopted a rule in April 2024, the “Non-Compete Rule,” effectively banning the use of all non-compete clauses for many workers starting on September 4, 2024. The rule is embroiled in a battle between two U.S. District Courts. The Northern District Court of…
Court Scrutiny Faced by The Department of Labor’s New Rule Increasing Exempt Employee Salary Thresholds
By Vineesha Sow
In April 2024, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued its final rule raising the threshold salary requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for employees classified as exempt from overtime pay when working in excess of forty (40) hours in a seven (7) day workweek, (the “2024 rule”). The 2024 rule, scheduled to take…