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MRW is thrilled that new federal protections for pregnant workers are now in effect as of June 27, 2023. These protections, the PUMP Act (Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act) and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), were part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act that President Biden signed in December 2022. The PWFA […]
MRW is gratified to see that on March 3, 2022, President Biden signed into law the “Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment.” Forced arbitration clauses are frequently used by employers as a way to shield embarrassing litigation from the public. Arbitrations also tend to be much more employer-friendly than jury trials. Not […]
In celebration of the successful conclusion of the Orlando Riley v. Mass Department of State Police case, the MRW team gathered in honor of Mr. Riley and his wife Catia. A great time was had by all and we thank Mr. Riley for his perseverance throughout this hard fought and hard won case.
MRW previously commented on the “rampant” pregnancy discrimination plaguing the American workplace, following an in-depth exposé by The New York Times. Despite this painful reality, two recent pieces of Massachusetts legislation strengthen legal protections and benefits for pregnant employees and families. First, the Massachusetts Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), which Governor Charlie Baker signed into […]
The New York Times recently brought attention to the rampant discrimination facing women in the workplace. The article features current and former lawsuits brought by pregnant women and mothers against some of the country’s largest employers, underscoring not only the individual plight of women but also the institutionalized nature of workplace discrimination. Though pregnant women […]
The Supreme Court ruling on the clash between a gay couple’s right to a wedding cake and a baker’s religious beliefs has garnered significant national attention. The Court’s decision does not provide clear answers to the free-speech-v.-gay-rights questions posed by the case but offers considerable insight into the future and some direction for the present. […]
For over a decade, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) has seen a significant increase in retaliation claims. Since 2000, the number of such claims filed annually has increased by more than 100 percent. In 2014 alone, retaliation accounted for 42.8% of all claims processed by the EEOC. It is by far the most common […]
Massachusetts has made another step towards enforcing equality in the workplace! Gov. Deval Patrick signed a new bill into law on January 7, 2015 requiring employers to grant equal parental leave to male and female employees. Massachusetts’s previous legislation on the topic, the Maternity Leave Act, applied only to women in workplaces with more than […]
Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in the case of Young v. United Parcel Service, 134 S.Ct.2898 (U.S. 2014). The issue before the Supreme Court concerns whether an employer is obligated under the federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act () to provide a pregnant employee the same types of accommodations (such as light duty) […]
Governor Deval Patrick has signed into law an increase in the state’s mandatory minimum wage, which will be implemented over three years. Starting on January 1, 2015, the Massachusetts minimum wage will rise from $8.00 to $9.00/ hour for non-agricultural, non-service, employees. On January 1, 2016, the minimum will increase again to $10.00/ hour and […]