Bill strengthening penalties for wage/hour violations is law!

Thanks to everyone who contacted the Governor’s office and spoke up to make sure workers are protected by the Commonwealth-  Senate Bill 1059 is now law!

SB- 1059 Information:

An Act to Clarify the Law Protecting Employee Compensation (Senate Bill No. 1059) provides workers with triple damages if their employers fail to pay their wages due, overtime or other wage/hour requirements. In order to get triple damages, an employee must go first to the Massachusetts Attorney General, then file suit, and win their case. In February Governor Patrick sent the bill back to the legislature asking that it be watered down. It came back to the Governor's desk - and he heard that constituents wanted him to sign the bill into law!

When employers fail to pay workers for their hard-earned wages, their employees suffer greatly. Many workers live paycheck to paycheck, and are devastated when their earned wages are withheld. Careless or irresponsible employers who promise but fail to pay wages, undermine the ability to pay rent, taxes, health insurance premiums, and groceries – for which anything less than multiple damages could never compensate. Such non-payment also creates a ripple effect throughout each family’s economic health and through the commercial entities which rely on promised payments.

Lastly, as Philip Gordon, an employment attorney who spearheaded the bill, noted, "Companies that fail to pay proper wages, fail to make withholdings. They undermine our system and leave those extra conscientious and careful employers on an uneven playing field. That's why not one employer testified openly against this bill in 2 years of public hearings. Rather, those who came did just the opposite and testified in support of strong protections."