Labor & Employment Law
News
| Stimulus COBRA Subsidy has Employers Seeing
Double |
Massachusetts employers will apparently be required to
continue funding the state Medical Security Plan for unemployed workers
while also paying a refundable 65 percent subsidy for COBRA benefits
included in the economic stimulus bill signed by President Obama.
Learn More
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Issues
AIM
Testimony in Opposition to Non-Competitive Agreements
H. 2293, An Act Relative to Noncompetition Agreements, H. 2296, An Act
Relative to Prohibition of Noncompetition Agreements and S. 932, An Act
to Prohibit Restrictive Employment Covenants
AIM
Testimony Regarding Personnel Records
H. 1397, H. 2295, H. 2873, H. 3231, Legislation to Amend the Personnel
Records Statute
S.930
and H.1398, An Act Establishing Paid Sick Days
AIM testimony in opposition to S.930 and H.1398, An Act Establishing
Paid Sick Days
H.1413, An Act Relative to Non-Discrimination Training in the
Workplace
AIM testimony
in support of H.1413, An Act Relative to Non-Discrimination Training in
the Workplace
AIM
Testimony on Various Bills Before the the Joint Committee on Labor and
workforce Development
AIM is opposed to many of these bills before the committee today because
they would put Massachusetts at a competitive disadvantage, subjecting
the state’s economy to great costs resulting in job loss while
imposing an illogical and inefficient, "one size fits all" prescription
on the state’s employers.
H.1393,
An Act Updating and Streamlining the Employment Agency Law
AIM testimony in opposition to H.1393, An Act Updating and Streamlining
the Employment Agency Law
H.
1415 and S. 931, An Act Further Defining Comparable Work
AIM testimony in opposition to H. 1415 and S. 931, An Act Further
Defining Comparable Work
H.
49, An Act Establishing Paid Family Leave
AIM Testimony in Opposition to H. 49, An Act Establishing Paid Family
Leave
An Act Clarifying the Payment of Wages
This proposal would permit Massachusetts
employers to pay hourly workers semi-monthly. Semi-monthly pay results
in 24 pay periods a year, while bi-weekly pay, which was passed by the
Legislature in 1992, has 26 pay periods a year.
An Act to Correct the Treble Damages Law
AIM legislation adds an important element to the so-called treble
damages bill, which Governor Patrick allowed to become law in 2008
without his amendment or his signature. The bill provides a safe harbor
for employers who make a good-faith effort to abide by wage and hour
laws.
An Act Enhancing the Criminal Offender Register
Information System
AIM’s bill improves the accuracy of the data maintained in the
commonwealth’s Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) system.
AIM supports the ability of employers to access the criminal records of
job applicants as a means of ensuring the safety of employees, customers
and vendors. The bill upgrades technology and
record-keeping systems; provides employer training; requires
notification when negative information is added to a personnel record;
and provides employers with immunity from civil liability when
disclosing truthful information about a current or former
employee.
An Act Relative to Non-Discrimination Training in the
Workplace
The bill encourages employers to educate and train employees about state
and federal laws on workplace discrimination, harassment and
retaliation. Employers providing this type of training gain an
affirmative defense against lawsuits claiming workplace discrimination
by supervisory and management personnel.
An Act Relative to Reform of the Unemployment Insurance
System
Massachusetts still has one of the
highest UI rates in the nation, despite a rate freeze in 2008. AIM
legislation brings Massachusetts into line with UI practices in a
majority of other states by limiting the duration of benefits to 26
weeks, increasing work and wage requirements for benefit eligibility,
and updating rate tables to create equity in employer UI
payments.
An Act Relative to the Massachusetts Commission Against
Discrimination
The legislation improves the
functioning of the MCAD and its ability to provide timely due process
and equity for all parties by requiring guidelines and standardized
procedures. The proposed changes will improve the competitiveness of
Massachusetts businesses.
Resources
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