Labor & Employment in Massachusetts

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3578: An Act relative to a four-day work week pilot program

This bill establishes Massachusetts' "Smart Work Week Pilot" to test four-day work weeks for qualifying private employers. It requires employers with at least 15 employees to apply, transition to a four-day schedule without pay cuts, and allow employees to opt out. The program runs for at least two years, collecting data on worker well-being and business impacts through surveys and interviews. Participating employers may receive a tax credit (excluding public-sector employers) based on their transition costs and data submission. The pilot aims to study whether this model benefits both workers and businesses.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 4051: An Act to protect the collective bargaining rights of certain administrative employees

HD 4051 amends the definition of "Employee" in Massachusetts law to protect collective bargaining rights for certain administrative staff. It directly affects Commonwealth employees in Management Classification Series below M-VI, preventing their automatic exclusion from bargaining coverage. The key provision states these employees cannot be excluded unless the Department of Labor Relations determines their duties meet managerial standards *or* an existing agreement with their bargaining unit covers similar work. This ensures these employees retain the right to collectively bargain unless specific, defined conditions are met.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 4047: An Act relative to the protection of small businesses and workers

HD 4047, titled "An Act relative to the protection of small businesses and workers," establishes new antitrust rules targeting monopolies and monopsonies in Massachusetts. It defines "monopoly power" (controlling prices or excluding competition) and "monopsony" (a single buyer dominating a market), making contracts that create or maintain such power unlawful. The bill presumes dominance if a business holds 40%+ of a product market or 30%+ of a labor market, and prohibits abuses like wage suppression, anti-union restraints, or forcing exclusive deals. It directly affects large businesses or employers with dominant market positions, aiming to protect small competitors and workers' bargaining power.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 4068: An Act securing the application of Massachusetts law to employees of employers incorporated or operating in Massachusetts who provide their labor and services remotely

This bill ensures Massachusetts employment laws apply to remote workers who provide services for employers based in Massachusetts, regardless of where the worker lives. It defines "remote employees" as those working virtually (via phone, internet, etc.) for Massachusetts-based employers, including entities like the state government itself. The key provision states that Massachusetts law automatically governs these remote workers' terms and conditions, unless a clear, written, and individually negotiated contract explicitly chooses another state's laws and guarantees full compliance with that jurisdiction's employment rules. This prevents employers from bypassing Massachusetts labor protections through standard contracts. The law takes effect January 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 4173: An Act relative to impairment of health caused by infectious disease

HD 4173 (An Act relative to impairment of health caused by infectious disease) creates a legal presumption that health impairments from infectious diseases suffered by correctional facility employees are work-related. It applies to employees who passed a physical exam upon hiring or later, with no pre-existing evidence of the condition. The bill presumes such impairments occurred "in the line of duty" unless the employer provides competent evidence to the contrary. This directly affects correctional facility workers by shifting the burden of proof for work-related injury claims involving infectious diseases.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2102: An Act making election day a legal holiday for state and municipal employees

HD 2102 designates every two years on the November State election day as a legal holiday for state and municipal employees, meaning they would receive the day off with pay. This bill directly affects government workers employed by state agencies or local municipalities. It overrides any existing laws that might prevent this holiday designation, ensuring election day is recognized as a paid day off for these employees.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2780: An Act to make data on workforce development outcomes public and accessible

This bill requires Massachusetts workforce development agencies to publicly share standardized data on program outcomes, including participant demographics, training participation, and wage data, to improve program evaluation and equity. It establishes clear procedures for requesting this data (with 30-day processing timelines), mandates quarterly wage reports for job training programs, and requires agencies to post all request guidelines online. The law directly affects workforce boards (like Masshire), state agencies, researchers, and organizations seeking to assess program effectiveness while protecting individual privacy through aggregate data sharing. It also creates a task force to enhance data systems for tracking workforce education outcomes and cross-agency collaboration by 2026.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Workforce Development

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2782: An Act to prevent heat-related illness in public sector outdoor workers

HD 2782 requires Massachusetts public employers (like state park staff, construction crews, and utility workers) to prevent heat-related illness among outdoor workers. It mandates written prevention plans including regular heat monitoring, access to water and shade, paid rest breaks, emergency response procedures, and annual training for employees and supervisors. The Department of Labor Standards must establish heat exposure standards by January 1, 2027, with public employers required to comply within six months of that date. The law also prohibits retaliation against workers reporting heat-related concerns.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Workplace Safety

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 4195: An Act relative to creating manufacturing and economic development in the Commonwealth

This bill creates tax credits for employers to fund high school vocational programs and increases funding for vocational education. Employers (both non-corporate and business corporations) can claim up to $100,000 annually in tax credits for spending on the new high school trade partnership program. The program requires public high schools to partner with private employers for vocational training, with standards for safety, academic requirements, and alignment with regional job needs. It also raises construction reimbursement rates for vocational schools to 75-90% and increases per-pupil funding for vocational students based on inflation. These changes directly affect employers, public high schools, and vocational education programs across Massachusetts.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Tax Incentives Career & Technical Education School Funding Apprenticeships

introduced · Massachusetts · House Feb 18, 2025

HD 4374: A communication from the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (see Section 2WWW of Chapter 29 of the General Laws) submitting the Commonwealth Corporation Workforce Competitiveness Fund for fiscal year 2024

This is not a legislative bill but a procedural communication from the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. It formally submits the Commonwealth Corporation Workforce Competitiveness Fund (WCTF) for fiscal year 2024, which supports workforce training and education programs. The fund directly assists Massachusetts workers and job seekers by funding programs like healthcare training (e.g., certified nurse assistants, pharmacy technicians) and career pathways. The communication was placed on file on February 18, 2025, as part of routine administrative submission for the existing program.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Workforce Development

All labor & employment bills