New England Biz Law Update

When COVID-19 struck, calendar software and videoconferencing became a viable, popular means of doing business. Unfortunately, cybercriminals got the memo and have begun pursuing a new and particularly dangerous line of attack. Email attacks have long been the hacker’s preferred ...

With the announcement of President Joe Biden’s new National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, employers may need to review their workplace policies and protocols. The stated goal of the plan is to “enable America to move forward safely” from the COVID-19 pandemic. ...

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments recently in a case that involves damages in disability discrimination cases. In that case, Cummings v. Premier Rehab Keller, P.L.L.C., the court is considering whether plaintiffs who bring discrimination claims under Section 504 of ...

Employees who contract COVID-19 may be protected from discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has said in a new guidance. Evaluated on a case-by-case basis, coronavirus infection can meet the ADA’s three definitions ...

A defendant company that entered into a subcontract for regional direct sales services for its national clients could not be held liable under the Massachusetts wage laws as the “joint employer” of plaintiffs who worked as salespersons for that subcontractor, ...

A federal appeals court has extended its stay of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s new mandatory COVID vaccination standard for large employers, finding it likely that the emergency measure is unconstitutional and exceeds the agency’s statutory authority. The ...

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is launching an initiative to ensure that artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging tools used in hiring and other employment decisions comply with federal civil rights laws. “Artificial intelligence and algorithmic decision-making tools have ...

As an employer, you may be wondering whether you can be held accountable for your employees’ personal social media activity. Based on a recent Massachusetts court decision, under certain circumstances, you can. The employer in the case was an investment ...

Massachusetts has extended COVID-19 emergency paid leave requirements to April 1, 2022. The state’s Temporary Emergency COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave statute went into effect in May 2021. The extension leaves that law largely intact — with one addition. Now, employees ...

The Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave has announced updated contribution rates and weekly benefit amounts under the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave law. The new rates go into effect on Jan. 1, 2022. Under the changes, the ...