Bill > H1752

This bill amends Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 136 to allow retail stores to open on Sundays and certain holidays, specifically Memorial Day, July Fourth, and Labor Day, with some exceptions. It clarifies that stores can sell most goods, but not alcoholic beverages, on these days, except for licensed establishments selling alcohol for off-premises consumption, which have their own specific rules and limitations, including a potential municipal override and a 12:00 PM start time. Crucially, the bill establishes that no employee can be required to work on a Sunday or these holidays, and refusing to work cannot be grounds for discrimination, dismissal, or any other penalty, with enforcement handled by the attorney general's office. Additionally, employees working on Memorial Day, July Fourth, or Labor Day, unless they are bona fide executives or professionals earning over $200 per week, must be paid at least one and a half times their regular hourly rate. The bill also addresses a specific scenario where Christmas falls on a Sunday, stating that the general exemption for keeping stores open will not apply to that Sunday, but will apply to the day following Christmas.