Massachusetts Employment Law Blog

Massachusetts voters spoke up for workers’ rights when they approved a law requiring sick leave for employees in the private sector. As of July 1, 2015, virtually all employers must allow up to 40 hours per year of sick leave. Variations on the Sick Leave Law Under the law, employees may use their accumulated sick…

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts enacted legislation to support employees impacted by domestic violence, abuse, stalking, or similar traumatic workplace risk factors. This law provides up to 15 days of job-protected leave within a 12-month period for qualifying employees, ensuring that victims of abuse can prioritize safety, medical recovery, and legal intervention without automatic loss of…

Massachusetts is set to revamp its existing noncompete laws and pass new legislation favorable to employees, as well as companies seeking to grow in Massachusetts. Philip Gordon spoke in front of Senators and Representatives about the proposed legislation, and the bill eventually passed in the Massachusetts Senate by 32 votes to 7. Massachusetts is moving…

In 2010, former employees filed a lawsuit against Goldman Sachs, alleging that the company perpetuates employment discrimination against female workers. USA Today recently reported that two plaintiffs are seeking to certify the lawsuit as a class-action case, which will expand the time frame of the lawsuit. They reportedly hope to include allegations spanning back over two…

Philip Gordon was recently featured in Slate magazine’s “Dear Prudence” column. An assistant professor who learned of sexual misconduct and possible prostitution between one of his students and two tenured professors asked Dear Prudence for the best course of action. In Gordon’s discussion with Emily Yoffe (the Dear Prudence author), he noted that the assistant…

In Michigan this week, bipartisan legislation was signed protecting mothers who nurse their children in public from discrimination and prosecution. 45 states now have some form of law allowing women to breastfeed in public or private locations. The new statute confirms that mothers who breastfeed their children in public cannot be discriminated against or prosecuted…

Philip served on the Panel for the National Convention of NELA for the program entitled, “Class Actions After Dukes & Genesis HealthCare Corp: The Ongoing Attack On Representative Testimony In Class Actions,” NELA 2014 National Convention (June 25-28, 2014) (View Article) Growing Scrutiny Around Representative Evidence in Employment Class Actions The discussion focused on the…

A struggle for power at Market Basket will likely lead to more lawsuits, says Philip Gordon of Gordon Law Group LLP. The company CEO Arthur T. Demoulas and several other high up professional employees were fired on Monday by the board – which is controlled by rival cousin Arthur S. Demoulas. Several other employees resigned…

New legislation has been proposed that would increase the minimum salary basis level that employers need to pay as part of the requirements to avoid the overtime rules. Workers classified as executive, administrative or professional employees would have their weekly minimum pay more than doubled, and the floor for highly-compensated employees will increase too, by…

The California Supreme Court defined some parameters of employment law regulations when it ruled in favor of an illegal immigrant/undocumented worker who sued an employer for an unlawful firing.  The employer tried to argue that the fact the worker was undocumented was a form of misconduct that justified the termination, but the Court was not swayed.…