Massachusetts Sick Laws
Neither federal law nor laws for the state of Massachusetts require
employers to pay employees for any days off for the reason of illness.
Massachusetts also does not require that employers pay employees for
any accumulated sick leave.
Employers may provide paid sick leave via written contract or through
benefits but are under no obligation to do so. However if an employer
provides these benefits in written format, he or she is required to
provide them under the law. If union contracts may require that sick
leave be paid, then employers are legally obligated to pay any and all
sick leave for that employee.
Just like an employer can offer sick leave payment, he or she also has
the right to terminate this benefit whenever he or she pleases.
Employers are also not required to notify employees of this change but
often do give a few days notice. Because some employees misuse paid
sick leave when they are not sick, some businesses and companies have
opted to implementing paid time off instead of vacation time or sick
leave. Under paid time off employees may take leave for any reason,
such as vacation, illness, or a mental health day.
Discrimination Laws
Some businesses and companies choose to not hire employees under the
age of twenty-five. Despite appearing to be illegal, this process is
fully legal under Massachusetts state law and federal law. The 1967 Age
Discrimination in Employment Act disallows employers to discriminate
those over the age of forty and not those under twenty-five.
This act disallows layoffs, hiring, harassment, and promotional
discrimination for those in that age bracket of forty or older. In some
cases it is in fact the law to only hire employs of certain ages. For
instance the law states that only those over the age of twenty-one are
permitted to be police officers. Airline pilots are also strongly
advised to retire before the age of sixty-five. Both of these cases are
for safety reasons.
Some older employees in some companies or businesses are allowed
through court systems to have preferred treatment. For instance
retirement can be offered at an earlier age with more benefits than if
an employee waited until he or she were older to retire. The 1975 Age
Discrimination Act disallows certain institutions from discriminating
while hiring based on age. These institutions include hospitals,
nursing homes, social service providers, day care facilities, and
others that are assisted by the federal government.
Maternity Leave
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act is a federal act that disallows
employees from being discriminated based on expectancy. The Family and
Medical Leave Act is also a federal act that keeps new mothers safe
from job termination while they care for their newborns. This act also
is designed to allow adoptive parents the ability to bond with their
new children, individuals the ability to care for elderly parents,
hospitalization, care for child illnesses, and other related
psychological or medical necessities.
Maternity leave is offered for a maximum of twelve weeks and must be
taken in a continuous manner. Paternity leave is sometimes also
provided.