Articles Posted in Blog

On October 1, 2018, the Non-Competition Agreement Act went into effect in Massachusetts.  While this new law provided employers and employees specific guidance with respect to noncompetition agreements, it did not apply to other restrictive agreements, including  non-solicitation agreements, nondisclosure or confidentiality agreements, or invention assignment agreements.  Additionally, it did not apply to noncompetition agreements…

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…

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 the agency. Click Here

Employers must pay wages in full and on time or else pay treble damages.  So says the Massachusetts Wage Act, and finally, in an opinion released on April 4, 2022, so says the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts in Reuter v. Methuen. The Wage Act has a long history in Massachusetts, refined over the years…

A big day!  In a rare moment of broad bi-partisan support, Congress and the President enacted groundbreaking legislation that will end forced arbitration for workers who are victims of sexual assault and harassment at work. “Forced arbitration shielded perpetrators and silenced survivors, enabled employers to sweep episodes of sexual assault and harassment under the rug,…

Liz Kislik does it again, with a terrific article in Harvard Business Review on flexible work policies: https://hbr.org/2021/10/creating-flex-work-policies-when-everyone-has-different-needs  She works through a set of best practices for creating policies that take into account real employee needs and align them with an employers business interests and brand. It’s a good read for anyone working to balance…

In an increasingly broad effort to uncover unlawful acts in the workplace, California now prohibits severance agreements that restrict an employee’s right to disclose unlawful acts of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation in the workplace. The “Silenced No More Act” will eliminate secret settlements often used to cover up cases of sexual harassment and discrimination by…

New York City Council passes six bills today protecting gig economy workers. The legislation, all expected to be signed by Mayor de Blasio, provide sweeping protections for delivery drivers and hotel workers. The bills include new requirements for minimum pay, bathroom access, distance and route limits, recordkeeping, requirements to provide insulated food deliver bags, and…

Governor Baker signed an emergency law extending Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave to April 1, 2022. The law also expands the reasons for taking leave to now include taking care of family members who need vaccinations or are recovering from a vaccination.

Some welcome news for employees now struggling with “long COVID”:  the EEOC has just announced that long COID may be a disability under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act:  https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-providers/civil-rights-covid19/guidance-long-covid-disability/index.html If long COVID substantially limits one or more of your major life activities, you may be entitled to…