When you're negotiating settlement of a Massachusetts employment action, you have much more to consider than just "how much money." There are many non-monetary remedies that can either alone or combined with money bring the parties to agreement. And how money is paid out can also be a good bargaining chip.
Settling Massachusetts Employment Cases: Think Beyond Money
Massachusetts Divorce Rate and Moral Acceptability
As the national divorce rate has fallen to its lowest point in decades, 73% of U.S. adults say divorce is "morally acceptable," a new high by one percentage point. Since 2001, there has been a 14-point rise in the percentage of Americans who find divorce morally acceptable, even as the national divorce rate has declined.
Massachusetts Wage Act Plaintiffs Entitled to Prejudgment Interest
Members of the Armed Forces Get Special Tax Benefits for 2017
How to Access Audio Recording of Trial Court Hearing
If you would like to listen to a Massachusetts court proceeding recorded by the
FTR (For The Record) system, please follow this link to access their audio streaming service: https://us.court.fm.
Massachusetts Child Support: 5 Tax Rules You Should Know
Whether you are the payor or recipient of child support in Massachusetts, there are
5 tax rules you should be aware of.
How Massachusetts Employers Stay Compliant with the ADA
Massachusetts employees are filing complaints under the American Disability Act
(ADA) with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in record numbers, with over 28,000 complaints filed in 2016, garnering monetary benefits of $131 million.
Which Vaccination Exemptions are Allowed for Massachusetts Children
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health requires children to be vaccinated
in order to be enrolled to school. There are two situations in which children who are not appropriately immunized may be admitted to school:
Massachusetts Landlords Cannot Refuse to Rent to Criminals
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), refusing to rent based on a criminal records is a form of racial discrimination, due to racial imbalances in the U.S. justice, despite the fact that criminal history is not a protected class under the federal Fair Housing Act.
Stock Options are Valuable Assets to be Divided in a Massachusetts Divorce
Under Massachusetts law, stock options, both vested and unvested, are marital
assets which may be included when dividing the marital estate in a divorce action.
How Computer Forensics Can Affect Your Massachusetts Divorce Case
As people spend more and more time on digital and electronic devices
(smartphones, laptops, ipads, and computers), digital information becomes more relevant in divorce cases. Social media, computers and cell phones become very prominent in Massachusetts divorce cases. This is largely because they are a great source of evidence. It is not uncommon for clients to show up for divorce consults with large stacks of text messages from a spouse or Facebook posts. The field of Family Law is responding to this increasing prevalence of digital information with the increased use of computer forensic investigators/experts.
School-Related Employee Leave Requests in Massachusetts
The new school year is upon us and with the return to school in Massachusetts
comes the predictable rise in employees' school-related leave requests. In addition to helping employees manage work and family responsibilities, employers find themselves preparing for school-related needs - sharpening their policies and polishing practices to address the host of leave-related issues that accompany the return to school.
International Travel with a Child of a Massachusetts Divorce
A Massachusetts divorced parent who is traveling abroad with his or her children
has additional hurdles to overcome before leaving for the trip. To insure that the experience is memorable from the start, make sure to follow these easy travel tips.
How to Help Massachusetts Children Cope With Military Deployments
When a Massachusetts parent serves in the military, their whole family is impacted
by their service. Deployments and relocations present unique challenges that are faced each day by military families. For some, these challenges can take an enormous toll on the family dynamic. Moreover, military families who face a divorce may find that their situation becomes even more challenging. One parent's absence due to a military deployment plus the emotional weight of the divorce at home can be hard to navigate, particularly for children.
Massachusetts College Student Housing Rule: "No More Than Four"
With thousands of college students set to invade Massachusetts the next week, the
Chief of Boston's Inspectional Services Department is letting local landlords know that he intends to enforce an eight year old ordinance barring no more than four undergraduate students from living together in off-campus apartments and houses.
Infographic: What Age Can Kids in Massachusetts Stay Home Alone?
At some point, many Massachusetts parents will begin thinking about whether their child is ready to stay home alone without supervision. Children often crave more independence as they grow older. However, letting a child stay home alone is a huge responsibility that parents need to thoughtfully consider before doing so. Whether it's for an hour after school or an entire afternoon, below are suggested guidelines to consider before leaving your kids home alone
Who's Responsible for Providing Disability-Related Workplace Accommodations to Massachusetts Temporary Employees?
Many Massachusetts businesses use temporary workers placed by staffing
agencies. But who is responsible when a temporary worker requests a disability accommodation? The staffing agency and the business could both be responsible if they are acting as "joint employers" under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
What to Do When Spouse Claims Disability in Massachusetts
Sometimes during divorce proceedings one spouse may claim to suffer from a
disability that affects their ability to work. When your spouse claims to be disabled, you might wonder if there is anything that you can do about it. It may sound awful to question the honesty of your once beloved spouse especially as it relates to a medical condition. But sometimes further exploration is necessary to determine the true extent of your spouse's disability and its effect on their ability to work. This is especially the case if your spouse has already given you reason not to trust.
Why It Matters Who Files First for Divorce in Massachusetts
Sometimes a spouse can be blind-sided by his or her partner's request for a
divorce. More often, however, both spouses share a sense that the relationship is broken and can't be fixed. When it comes to that, does it matter who files first? According to some financial and legal divorce consultants, it does.
Massachusetts Expands Employers' Obligation to Accommodate Pregnant Employees
On July 27, 2017, Governor Baker signed the Massachusetts Pregnant Workers
Fairness Act (the "Act"). Once the Act takes effect on April 1, 2018, most employers with employees in Massachusetts will be required to provide reasonable accommodations to employees for pregnancy and related conditions.
How to Protect Yourself and Your Children During a Massachusetts Divorce
Going through a Massachusetts divorce is never easy and with this in mind, you
should take steps to prepare yourself and your children financially, legally and physically. Taking steps to protect yourself makes sense and could avoid a whole lot of pain at the same time. If your divorce is an amicable one, then these steps may not be so essential, but if you suspect that the divorce is going to be unpleasant or difficult, you need to ensure that you follow these guidelines.
Stays of Execution in Massachusetts Landlord and Tenant Cases
If you are a Massachusetts landlord who has already followed proper eviction
procedures and the court found that you are entitled to a judgment and execution for possession, or perhaps you entered into a Summary Process Agreement for Judgment with your tenants, which requires them to vacate by a certain date, here is important information you should know if the tenant files a Motion to Stay, thereby requesting additional time to move.
