My husband lives in MA but works in NH. Can his employer make him use his vacation time if he's sick with Covid?
answered on Jan 18, 2022
Yes. There are no laws that require employers to pay their employees for time off work for any reason (and additional COVID-19 laws that would apply to this situation expired in 2020), so if the employer offers any form of paid time off, it can require that it be used according to its own... Read more »
Hi! I am a former UPS driver who was terminated after an employee accused me of drinking alcohol in the UPS truck and "acting drunk". The police were called and I passed a field sobriety test. My manager required me to submit to a "drug and alcohol test" although when I went... Read more »
answered on Dec 22, 2021
Generally speaking, an employer can always require a drug test. However, your question appears under the heading of "workers' compensation," which only deals with workplace injuries. It belongs under the heading of "employment law," and I will defer to experts in that... Read more »
Owner of company knowingly put me in danger of contracting covid by making me drive in a work van while he was visibly, extremely sick. Within days of that exposure I was diagnosed as covid positive. Refuses to pay me.
answered on Nov 24, 2021
While numerous laws were enacted in response to COVID-19 in 2020, these extra protections all expired on December 31, 2020. Now, whether and how much pay you are entitled to is governed strictly by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The FLSA does not require employers to offer sick pay or pay you... Read more »
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am from Bangladesh, I recently received job offer from an employer in US and I would like to know what's the procedure for Bangladeshi citizens to be able to meet the immigration requirements. I will be working at a Coffee chain shop in state of Massachusetts which I... Read more »
answered on Nov 7, 2021
You may qualify for an L visa or you will need an H visa. More information is needed. Secondly, it is the employers responsibility to take care of the initial visa requirements for the employee. I suggest you have the emplooyer contact an experienced immigration attorney.
I had reported that my accomodations for light duty were not being made and a few days later I was suspended and haven't been told why
answered on Oct 6, 2021
You should contact a Massachusetts employment attorney to discuss your situation. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, it is unlawful for employers to retaliate against employees based on requests for accommodations (or, in your situation, complaints that the accommodation requested is not... Read more »
The administrator had us working with no PPE and we all got covid. I still work at the place but people are suing the company. Would I be fired if I joined the lawsuit.
answered on Aug 29, 2021
This is a Workers Compensation question. My specialty is nursing home abuse litigation. Since you were injured in the course and scope of your employment, seek out a Work Comp lawyer. Best of luck.
Had breast cancer, chemo, radiation. Applied for a job, then covid hit. My immune system was really low as it was. Then went blind for over 6 months. Found out I have type 1 diabetes. Insulin 4 orore times a day. Immune system even lower. Trying to look for a job but they want me to pay them back... Read more »
answered on Jul 8, 2021
I'm sorry for your ordeal. This is something that a Massachusetts attorney could advise best on, but your post remains open for three weeks. You could repost under Employment Law. If you still don't get a response, try reaching out to attorneys to see if you could arrange a free... Read more »
would my employer get in trouble if i waived my breaks? i work 8 hours a day in MA and prefer to not take breaks
answered on May 26, 2021
Federal law does not require employers to offer any break periods to employees, so whether you are offered or take breaks does not give rise to any legal claim in and of itself. However, if you are told you must take breaks, then you can disciplined if you do not do so. In addition, while employers... Read more »
I recently had a baby prematurely. I shared this information internally with my employer. Within a few hours of sharing, I received an email from a co-worker to a group of customers, (some of which I do not know) detailing not only the birth of my son but also his full name and that he was born... Read more »
answered on May 12, 2021
More information is needed to analyze your situation. Is your employer requiring you to take a leave you otherwise are not intending to take? Additionally, there is no private cause of action under HIPPA. Only the Department of Health and Human Services and state attorneys general have the power... Read more »
as lawns, hedges, painting minor repairs..... This entails 20-30 hrs per month. How do I pay this person if I direct his activities, He does not live in one of the units.
answered on May 6, 2021
Hi, more information is needed here. Generally speaking you will need to make sure the person at least the federal and state minimum wage for all hours worked. As well as overtime for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. I would reach out to an employment law attorney in your state for a... Read more »
They are saying nothing is changing but that is far from the truth.
answered on Apr 28, 2021
If you are an at-will employee, then your company or the new company taking over can legally change your job title, compensation, and/or benefits at any time for any reason, so long as it is not for an unlawful reason.
For instance, say I need legal help with a start-up I'm trying to launch. I reach out to an attorney who works for a law firm who who says he's offering pro-bono legal services. I develop a relationship with this attorney and we agree on a deal that says he will take equity in my company... Read more »
answered on Mar 26, 2021
The answer depends upon the relationship that this attorney has with the law firm. It is possible that this attorney has some type of non-compete clause, or some other provision in a contract with the employer preventing the lawyer from self-dealing. So much of the answer to your question depends... Read more »
I accepted an offer for a position. I gave notice to my current employer. 7 days later the company I accepted the offer from rescinded the offer stating they are reevaluating the position and the needs for the position. My current employer will not retain me as they have already reorganized the... Read more »
answered on Mar 23, 2021
The question is how was the offer worded ? We would need to determine whether you were an "employee at will" or had an enforceable contract.
Unless you have a specific contract to work for a period of time (years), you, and most employees, are "employees at will",... Read more »
My employer furlough me, and now they are offering either to go back with salary reduction, or quit! in case I quit I would not take the previous year annual bonus which is due by the end of March. Is this legal?
answered on Mar 10, 2021
While your situation seems unfair, there is nothing inherently unlawful about reducing your pay (as long as you still make at least minimum wage for all hours worked).
Upstairs have they have food servers totally different job description, down stairs they force the cna's to do it, but cna's upstairs do not. They have activities up and down stairs when they go home, they are now trying to add that to do when they go home, when upstairs cna's do not... Read more »
answered on Feb 24, 2021
Unless you have an employment contract dictating otherwise, your employer can generally add to or change your job duties at any time for any reason, as long as it not for an unlawful reason. What you are describing sounds unfair, but it is not unlawful. However, your employer must pay you for all... Read more »
After hire, I was told that apparently I will need a vehicle to get the job that I was hired for done. I ended up buying a car just for this job to be used at work only. Apart from commute to and from work, I spend the whole work day needing my car to oversee areas of the property. I didn't... Read more »
answered on Feb 10, 2021
Generally, employees do not need to be reimbursed or paid during travel time to and from work. However, miles driven during work (after you clock in and before you clock out) need to be reimbursed if your vehicle expenses would bring your hourly rate below the state and federal minimum wage. For... Read more »
violation at the very least, since these are employees of staffing agencies, who are the real "covered entities" here. They supply the WC insurance, payroll, are the holders of their personnel records, etc. They also almost all have provisions written into their contracts that state... Read more »
answered on Dec 29, 2020
The employer can communicate directly with the temp employment agency that supplied the employees of the employer's requirement that the temp employees obtain and pass a DOT physical. It is, likely, not appropriate for the employer to communicate this need directly to contracted employees... Read more »
The temp agency is out of New York. I know that New York does not offer time and a half on Sunday's, but I was wondering since I am working at a retail store here in Massachusetts should I be getting paid time and a half? I know there is some law about time and a half on Sundays working in... Read more »
answered on Nov 25, 2020
Federal law only requires that you be paid time and a half for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek (regardless of which days you work). While your employer may offer time and a half or increased pay on weekends as an incentive to work these days, they are not required to do so.
I am a Masters' graduate from a STEM degree. I graduated in May 2020 so I am currently on OPT. I was given a confirmed written offer by a company, but when they were doing background checks etc, they asked me about my visa status. I told them I was on STEM OPT so I officially had 3 years of... Read more »
answered on Nov 11, 2020
If employment is at will, then there is probably nothing you can do about it. It is hard to say if discrimination based on visa status is valid, given a company’s long-term goals. Your best option would be to discuss your case with an attorney with knowledge of workplace issues.
Can an employee who already has intermittent FMLA attempt to use it after missing work for condition even if it wasn’t approved as it was reported late, but manager encouraged it. Then fires them for attempting to use it months later?
answered on Nov 11, 2020
More information is needed here. An employee is usually required to follow the employer's defined protocols when using FMLA leave. I would reach out to an employment law attorney in your state.
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