Bill > H2128

This bill modifies Massachusetts labor laws to provide employers with a good faith defense against liability for certain wage-related violations. Specifically, the bill allows employers to avoid punishment for failing to pay workers for Sunday or holiday work, or for not paying overtime compensation, if they can prove they acted in good faith based on a written opinion letter from a state department or agency that had the authority to interpret the law at the time. This defense would apply even if the administrative interpretation is later modified, rescinded, or found invalid by a court. The bill's provisions are retroactive, meaning they would apply to all wage-related legal actions accruing before, on, or after the bill's enactment, including any cases currently pending. In essence, the bill provides employers with a legal shield against wage and hour violations if they can demonstrate they were following what they believed to be the correct interpretation of labor laws at the time of the alleged violation.

Labor and Employment

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H2128