New England Biz Law Update

The Massachusetts Appeals Court is weighing a case that could offer the first appellate guidance on the “safe harbor” provision of the Massachusetts Equal Pay Act, a key protection for employers who proactively review and address gender-based pay disparities.

The U.S. Treasury Department has launched an online payment portal to support the newly required $100,000 fee for certain H-1B visa petitions.

The U.S. Department of Labor has issued two new opinion letters clarifying when overtime pay is required under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

A federal trial court has ruled that a Black employee who was fired after the single use of an anti-Black slur could not sue for wrongful termination.

In a surprising regulatory rollback, the Department of Justice has withdrawn two key rulemaking efforts under the Americans with Disabilities Act, including long-awaited rules on digital accessibility.

The EEOC has withdrawn a key allegation in a lawsuit claiming that a company’s AI-based hiring tool caused disparate impact discrimination against older job applicants.

A proposed IRS program aimed at modernizing how businesses report employee tips is drawing fire from labor groups, particularly in the hospitality and service sectors.

Two major H‑1B developments could reshape how employers approach high-skilled immigration this fall.

A bill pending in the Massachusetts Legislature could significantly shift wage-and-hour enforcement by granting private individuals, labor unions, and nonprofits the right to sue employers for alleged violations on behalf of the state.

Imagine rolling out a generative AI chatbot for your customer service platform to improve response times and efficiency and to lower costs. While it appears promising for a while, it all grinds to a halt when the chatbot recommends illegal return policies or offers inaccurate safety advice on regulated products or even misrepresents the company’s obligations.