Basics of the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (“MAPFMLA”)

Author: Diane M. Kildea
In the summer of 2018, “An Act Relative to Minimum Wage, Paid Family Medical Leave and the Sales Tax Holiday” was signed into law creating M.G.L. c. 175M (entitled “Family and Medical Leave”). The newly formed Department of Family and Medical Leave (the “Department”) issued final regulations on June 18, 2019. This new law provides up to 26 weeks of paid family leave and medical leave to all Massachusetts employees within a benefit year funded through a new payroll tax. Below is a summary of what employers need to know and what actions employers should take to ensure compliance with the law.

Utilizing End of Year Gifting for Tax-Advantageous Transfers of Wealth

Authors: J. Keith Phifer and Robert F. Lynch, Jr.
As we approach the end of the year, now is a great time for individuals to examine their long-term financial planning goals and to understand and evaluate the tools at their disposal to meet those goals. In this newsletter, we will examine how the federal unified estate and gifting lifetime tax exemption and the federal gift tax exclusion can be powerful tools for all individuals to pass their wealth and business interests on to the next generation. Read more.

The New Massachusetts Noncompete Statute

Authors: Jenifer M. Pinkham and Robert F. Lynch, Jr.
This past legislative session, “An Act Relative to the Judicial Enforcement of Noncompetition Agreements” was signed into law. Noncompete agreements in Massachusetts must now comply with the provisions of the new M.G.L. c. 149 §24L, and as a result, employers should begin immediately reviewing their current standard noncompete agreements, as all noncompete agreements entered into on or after October 1, 2018 must comply with the new law. Read more.