Massachusetts Employment Law Blog

A significant policy shift occurred this morning as the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) officially withdrew its prior interpretative guidance on independent contractor classification and joint employment standards. Business and industry organizations expect this decision to reduce the number of workers covered under wage protections guaranteed by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The…

Pregnant workers may soon receive stronger statutory protections in Massachusetts workplaces following a key legislative development. This morning, the Massachusetts House of Representatives approved a new bill aimed at expanding employment safeguards for pregnant employees, and the legislation now awaits consideration by the state Senate. Persistent Workplace Challenges for Pregnant Workers Pregnancy discrimination has long…

The debate over whether student athletes should be paid in college sports has intensified in recent years, driven by the exploding financial value of collegiate athletics and increasing scrutiny over fairness, labor rights, and revenue distribution. As fans gear up for upcoming seasons in major college sports, the question remains central: Should student athletes be…

The issue of forced arbitration in discrimination suits has gained renewed attention following a high-profile legal dispute involving a major media employer, the U.S. broadcasting organization Fox News. Reports indicate the company may attempt to require arbitration for an anchor pursuing discrimination claims, shifting the lawsuit out of open court and into private dispute resolution.…

A Must Read, and not Just for Gender Bias! The Latest from Harvard Business Review and Cecchi-Dimeglio on The Corrupting Power of Gender Bias Workplace bias continues to shape careers, distort institutional decisions, and silently undermine talent. Recent analysis published by the global business publisher Harvard Business Review highlights critical research from behavioral scientist Iris…

Leaked Documents Make Clear: Call Them Anything but “Employee” Recent revelations from leaked internal records have provided rare visibility into corporate strategies designed to avoid employee classification. These documents underline a growing national legal battle over employee misclassification, contractor-only labeling, and how far companies will go to justify independent contractor status even when workplace control…

Philip Gordon, attorney at the law firm Gordon LLP, testified on labor hiring law before the government committee, the Joint Committee on Labor & Workforce Development, on the use of credit reports during hiring. The hearing occurred on April 4, 2017, and addressed proposed legislation that would regulate how employers use credit checks during the…

Oxford Comma Decides Court Case in Maine Labor DisputeFor the grammar nerds in all of us, a single punctuation mark recently influenced the outcome of a major workers’ rights decision. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled on a Maine labor dispute in which the meaning of overtime protections under state wage…

Gretchen Carlson: How Arbitration Clauses Allow Sexual Harassment to Continue Workplace arbitration clauses have become one of the most debated areas in modern employment law. Media figure and workplace rights advocate Gretchen Carlson recently shared a firsthand account about arbitration clauses and sexual harassment, offering rare visibility into how these agreements can affect reporting options,…

Entrepreneur Magazine: 7 things You Must Do Before Quitting Your Job or You’re Screwed A widely shared piece by the business media publisher Entrepreneur Magazine recently outlined essential quitting job advice for professionals considering resignation. The article underscores a key point many workers underestimate: career transitions must be planned with the same diligence used when…