Mass-Peculiarities: An Employers Guide to Wage & Hour Law in the Bay State 2022 Edition

Table of Contents (con’t) Page © 2022 Seyfarth Shaw LLP Massachusetts Wage & Hour Peculiarities, 2022 ed. | iii b. General “Leave” Category .........................................................43 c. Designation of Accrual Rate ......................................................43 d. Changes to Vacation Policies .....................................................44 4. Severance Payments .............................................................................44 5. Bonuses................................................................................................45 a. Discretionary Bonuses ...............................................................45 b. Earned Bonuses.........................................................................45 6. Stock ....................................................................................................46 7. Expense Reimbursements......................................................................46 C. How Must Wages Be Paid? ..............................................................................46 1. Checks and Drafts.................................................................................46 2. Direct Deposit ......................................................................................47 3. Pay Cards.............................................................................................47 D. When Are Wages “Earned”? ............................................................................47 E. What Deductions Can an Employer Make from an Employee’s Wages? ............48 1. Mandatory Deductions ..........................................................................48 2. Deductions Authorized by Statute .........................................................49 a. Deductions for Lodging and Meals.............................................49 (1) Lodging .........................................................................49 (2) Meals.............................................................................49 (3) Deductions and the Calculation of Overtime....................50 b. Uniforms – Deductions Not Allowed..........................................50 c. Other Statutorily Permissible Deductions ...................................51 3. Deductions Not Specifically Listed Above.............................................51 4. Employee Notification of Deductions ....................................................53 F. Unclaimed Wages ............................................................................................53 IV. Minimum Wage ..........................................................................................................53 A. The Minimum Wage Rate in Massachusetts......................................................54 1. Coverage Under the Massachusetts Minimum Fair Wage Law ...............54