Bill > S2012

This bill establishes new labor protections and rights for agricultural workers in Massachusetts. The legislation requires agricultural employees to accrue paid time off at a rate of one hour for every 40 hours worked, up to a maximum of 55 hours per calendar year, with a 45-day waiting period before employees can use the accrued time. The bill provides that at the start of each calendar year, paid time off balances will reset to zero, and employees must be compensated at their current rate of pay when using this time off. Additionally, the bill mandates that agricultural workers working eight or more hours per day receive two 15-minute breaks with adequate conditions for temperature regulation and hydration. The legislation also refines the legal definition of "agricultural and farm work" to include both primary agriculture (farming, cultivation, livestock raising) and secondary agriculture (preparing commodities for market), and ensures that agricultural workers are covered under minimum wage laws. The Department of Labor Standards is required to develop regulations within six months to implement these new protections, with input from stakeholders, and most provisions will become effective immediately upon passage, with the break provisions taking effect on the first day of the calendar year following the act's passage.