In Massachusetts, and as a matter of federal law, hourly employees do not have a right to be paid for meal breaks. However, meal breaks must be bona fide. There are two main parts of that. 1) Meal breaks must…
Wage
Getting Help with the Mass AG Wage Complaint Form
by •
The Purpose of the AG Wage Complaint Form: A wage complaint form must be filed with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office because the law requires it. Section 150 of Chapter 149 of the Massachusetts General Laws states: An employee claiming [unpaid wages] 90…
Wage
The Massachusetts Wage Act and Union Collective Bargaining Agreements
by •
A few months ago, the First Circuit Court of Appeals answered a key question for union members with claims under the Massachusetts Wage Act. The case was Cavallaro v. UMASS Memorial Healthcare, 678 F.3d. 1 (1st Cir. 2012), and the…
Wage
Common Violations of the Massachusetts Wage Act
by •
Here are some common violations of the Massachusetts Wage Act: Off-the-Clock Work Managers who say “get it done, but don’t put down overtime”; People arriving early or staying late at work; Donning and doffing–unpaid time at the beginning or end…
Wage
Wage Act Claims and the Massachusetts Attorney General
by •
The Massachusetts Attorney General has a special relationship to Wage Act claims in Massachusetts. The wage statute requires that an individual file a complaint for unpaid wages with the attorney general before bringing a lawsuit for triple damages and attorneys’…
Wage
Travel Pay Rights in Massachusetts
by •
Hourly employees are entitled to be paid for all time worked. This begs the basic question: What is work? There are regulations that define work pretty specifically in Massachusetts. In this post, I will focus on the sometimes controversial topic…