New England Biz Law Update

An employee can proceed with a putative class action alleging his employer violated the Wage Act by failing to pay him within six days of the end of the company’s pay period, even though the statute allows payment within seven days for some categories of workers, a U.S. District Court judge in Massachusetts has ruled in an issue of first impression.

The annual H-1B pre-registration process is set to open on March 7 and will continue through March 24, 2025.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) electronic reporting regulation, covered employers were required to submit their OSHA Forms 300, 300A, and 301 using the agency's electronic Injury Tracking Application (ITA) by March 2, 2025. 

The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a lower court’s ruling, finding that an oil service technician provided sufficient evidence to survive summary judgment on his disability-related claims. The technician had regularly updated his employer about a knee injury. However, he was terminated after attempting to return from medical leave.

Several organizations banded together to file a federal lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders aimed at eliminating “illegal” diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) programs, marking the first major legal challenge to the administration's new DEI policies.

With immigration enforcement intensifying under a second Trump administration, U.S. employers should prepare for heightened inspections and potential raids. The administration’s early 2025 actions signal a strong focus on workplace compliance, following promises of the “largest deportation program in American ...

New York may become the first state in the nation to require employers to disclose when artificial intelligence (AI) played a role in mass layoffs. Governor Kathy Hochul announced that she will direct the New York Department of Labor to ...

A Massachusetts trial court judge has ruled that employers may use recordings obtained in violation of the state’s wiretap statute as evidence in civil proceedings, a decision that could impact workplace privacy and employment litigation. The ruling came in Simpson ...

Some recent changes in Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting and penalty rules have brought welcome relief to employers. Two new federal laws, signed by former President Joe Biden, ease certain ACA reporting burdens and enhance protections for employers. Here are ...

In a recent decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that employers asserting exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) need only meet the “preponderance of the evidence” standard rather than the more demanding “clear and convincing evidence” standard. ...