The Massachusetts Attorney General enforces the laws that govern the payment of wages to employees. This law provides a minimum set of standards for when, how and how much employees must be paid.
OVERVIEW
Employers must pay their employees within six days of the end of the pay period during which the wages were earned, if the individual was employed for five or six days during the pay period. If the employee was employed for seven days, or a period of less than three days, they must be paid no later than seven days from the end of the pay period.
Discharged (fired or laid off) employees must be paid all wages due and owing on the day of termination. The term "wages" includes all vacation time earned or accrued under the employer's written or oral policy.
Also, all employers must furnish a pay slip or check stub showing the employer's name, employee's name, date, number of hours worked, hourly rate of pay and the deductions/increases made for the pay period.
PENALTIES
Should an employer not pay wages on time, or properly account for the wages due, the employer could face liability for triple the amount of wages owed, plus the employee's costs and attorney's fees. In addition, an officer of the employer in charge of payroll could face personal liability under the Wage Act if it is violated.
FINAL THOUGHT
The Massachusetts Attorney General enforces the Wage Act aggressively, so an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Be sure to update and clarify your payroll and vacation records and policies.
Matthew J. McDonough brings a strong legal background to the firm. Mr. McDonough practices law in the areas of litigation, employment, personal injury, immigration and the representation of businesses.
