Massachusetts Employment Law Blog

The Gender Gap and the Need for Equal Pay Laws For years, there has been a persistent gender pay gap in the United States. According to data from the National Women’s Law Center, women on average earn only 82 cents for every dollar earned by men. The gap is even wider for women of color,…

The real question often begins with context. Why were you working outside the office in the first place? Understanding that makes everything clearer. In most cases, employers can decide the terms of your job. This includes setting policies about where you work. So, if your contract or workplace rules require on-site attendance, then the company…

Sexual harassment is more than rude comments or awkward situations. It is illegal behavior that creates fear, stress, or unfair job conditions. Because of this, the law protects employees who experience it and report it. What is Sexual Harassment? Workplace sexual harassment means unwanted sexual behavior that affects your job, dignity, or comfort. It can…

Massachusetts updated its rules on job restrictions. Specifically, a new act began on October 1, 2018. The goal was to guide fair non-compete terms. However, the law did not cover every agreement. What the Act Covers and What It Does Not The new act focuses on classic non-compete contracts. Yet, it excludes several common restrictions.…

In May 2023, Goldman Sachs reached a significant settlement in a gender discrimination lawsuit. The casesheds light on the persistent challenges faced by women in the corporate world and serves as a turning point for addressing gender disparities in the workplace. This blog post explores the details of the gender discrimination settlement and the potential…

Mass False Claims Act. If you’re an employee in Massachusetts and have information related to potential claims against your employer, you may be protected under the Massachusetts False Claims Act (MFCA). This law provides important protections for whistleblowers who report fraudulent activity, waste, or abuse of government funds by their employers. In this blog post,…

Jury finds retaliation in firing. NEWBURYPORT — A Newburyport Superior Court jury found late Wednesday that the ouster of former Sex Offender Registry Board Chair Saundra Edwards was in retaliation for actions she took after a hearing officer deemed that the then-governor’s brother-in-law — convicted of spousal rape — was not required to register with…

Amid civil rights probe, another Everett school administrator files discrimination complaint November 26, 2022: (Article View) A second school administrator has filed a discrimination complaint amid an ongoing civil rights investigation. The filing came from the school district in Everett, Massachusetts on November 26, 2022. What triggered the new complaint? The complaint alleges workplace discrimination…

Massachusetts overhauled its rules on restrictive employment contracts when the Non-Competition Agreement Act became law on October 1, 2018. The statute gave employers and workers clear legal boundaries for traditional non-compete agreements. However, the law did not cover related contracts that restrict employee movement, including non-disclosure agreements, confidentiality clauses, invention assignment terms, and non-solicitation contracts.…

A former state official in Massachusetts secured a major civil victory when a court awarded him $820,000 in damages. The decision came on November 6, 2022, after the plaintiff proved the state caused lost income and harm through improper legal action. The jury reviewed evidence for months before they validated the claim and ordered payment.…