Summary of July 2025 Labor Law Updates for Boston, Massachusetts
This post provides a monthly review—targeted at HR professionals, compliance leaders, and employees—of significant court rulings, legal developments, and agency actions relevant to Boston, Massachusets’ labor and employment law for July 2025. Brought to you by the Boston team from HKM Employment Attorneys, this summary highlights key updates and their implications for workplace rights and compliance.
July 2025 saw significant developments in Massachusetts labor law—from expanded worker protections in remote work contexts to legislative proposals and clarifications on noncompetition enforcement. Employers must stay vigilant: update agreements, monitor bill progress, and ready themselves for upcoming pay transparency mandates. For HR leaders and employees navigating these changes, HKM Employment Attorneys is here to help. If you’d like guidance tailored to your workplace, feel free to reach out via hkm.com.
Massachusetts Courts Expand Protections for Workers — Court Rulings
Date: July 18, 2025
Summary: The Massachusetts judiciary issued three key decisions enhancing worker protections. One notable case involved a remote employee, Abigail Dubois, who worked from Rhode Island for a Massachusetts-based employer yet faced denied commission for a large sale. The court examined which state’s laws apply to remote employees and sided with expanding employee rights under broader interpretations of workplace protections.
Implications: Employers should be mindful that remote work arrangements—even across state lines—may implicate Massachusetts labor laws. This decision underscores the importance of clarity in employment agreements covering pay, commissions, and applicable jurisdiction. HR teams should assess whether their contracts address remote scenarios and consult legal counsel to avoid disputes.
Legislative Developments — Pending Bills
Date: July 15, 2025 (Scheduled Committee Hearing)
Summary: Several pieces of labor-related legislation were under consideration by the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development. Notable proposals included:
S.1301 — Right to Rebuttal in Personnel Records: Empowers employees to contest or respond to information in their personnel files.
S.1308 — Remote Workers Protections: Seeks to ensure Massachusetts law applies to remote employees working for MA-based employers, regardless of their location.
Implications: These bills reflect growing legislative attention to data rights for employees and the regulatory gaps in remote work oversight. Employers should monitor these developments—especially S.1308—as they may soon affect obligation standards for remote worker engagement and recordkeeping.
Noncompetition Agreements Clarified — Court Ruling
Date: June 13, 2025 (ruling still highly relevant heading into July)
Summary: The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court confirmed that forfeiture clauses tied to non-solicitation breaches are not governed by the state’s Noncompetition Agreement Act (MNAA). Specifically, even when a non-solicitation agreement includes a clause that requires an employee to forfeit benefits upon violation, such a clause remains enforceable and is not restricted under MNAA.
Implications: This ruling gives employers clarity and broader leeway in drafting separation or restrictive covenants. For HR and legal teams, it’s a reminder to use precise language distinguishing non-solicitation terms—and their associated forfeiture conditions—from noncompetition clauses, which remain regulated under the MNAA.
Pay Transparency and Reporting — Ongoing Compliance Timeline
Summary: Massachusetts continues to implement the Wage Transparency Act (the Frances Perkins Workplace Equity Act). Key milestones include:
EEO Data Reporting: Employers with 100+ employees must submit their federal EEO‑1 reports (and related forms) to the Secretary of the Commonwealth—already required as of February 2025.
Pay Range Disclosure: Starting October 29, 2025, employers with 25 or more employees must include pay ranges in all job postings, provide them to promotion candidates, and make them available upon request.
Implications: Though this falls outside July itself, July offers a strategic window for employers to prepare. Employers should be proactively designing compliance strategies to ensure a smooth rollout of the October requirements—training recruiters, updating job posting templates, and revising internal processes.
Conclusion: Looking Back on Massachusetts Labor Law Updates from July 2025
With Massachusetts courts tightening standards around discrimination, hostile work environments, and breach of contract, it’s more important than ever to have local legal support. At HKM Employment Attorneys in Boston, we bring focused experience representing clients in harassment, wrongful termination, wage disputes, and contract claims, offering clear guidance and zealous representation from filing through resolution . Our Boston team is known for walking clients through sensitive investigations, negotiation, and litigation with compassion and clarity. If recent court decisions hit close to home, reach out to our Boston office to see how we can be your ally in the aftermath.
