Massachusetts Labor Laws

Massachusetts Labor Laws

There are many labor laws in Massachusetts but we’d like to touch on just a few….

MA Blue Laws

Massachusetts laws limit an employer’s capacity to require employees work on Sundays and federally-observed holidays. If an employee does agree to work on a Sunday or federally-observed holiday, employers may be required to pay a rate of one and one-half times the employee’s base pay.

Meals and Breaks

In Massachusetts, employers are legally bound to provide a 30 minute break after 6 hours worked in a calendar day. The break may be unpaid. If the employee voluntarily agrees to forgo their break at the request of their employer, the employer must compensate the employee. There are some industries that are exempt from providing breaks.

Overtime for Salaried Employees

Employees in Massachusetts are eligible for overtime pay (one and a half times their base pay) for every hour they work in a given week over 40 hours. Many employers believe that this law does not apply to salaried employees, but that is not true.

If you have a question or concern about Massachusetts Labor Laws, call the law offices of Johnson Sclafani & Moriarty at 413-732-8356.