Law Finally Catches up With Reality
The law often lags behind real workplace struggles. However, on April 4, 2022, everything changed when the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts issued a landmark decision in the case Reuter v. Methuen. In this ruling, the Court confirmed that employers must pay wages in full and on time, or face mandatory treble damages, just as the Massachusetts Wage Act intended.
Employment lawyers have seen wage theft patterns for decades. In fact, the Massachusetts Wage Act was shaped by years of unpaid overtime, delayed paychecks, and unfair payroll tactics. Companies that follow fair payroll rules sometimes lose ground to competitors that delay wages for months, or even years.
Meanwhile, many misclassified or underpaid workers had another concern — whether justice would ever arrive. Some employers wrongly assumed workers would never challenge them. Others believed they could simply pay the missing wages later, rather than pay the multiplied damages the law required.
Still, the Court refused this outdated mindset. It reaffirmed that the Wage Act protects real human needs, especially for workers living paycheck to paycheck. As a result, wage delays are no longer low-risk bets for employers. The decision made it absolutely clear: late wages must now be trebled, not debated.
Ultimately, this ruling marked the end of a long era where wage compliance depended on employer goodwill. Today, wage law has teeth, and payroll fairness is no longer optional.
If you believe your employer is delaying or withholding wages, firms like the Boston-based employee advocacy team, Gordon Law Group LLP can guide you through your legal options.
If you’re owed unpaid wages – whether regular wages, commissions, or overtime – give us a call.
