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leave. The earned sick time law gives employees some
of that protection.
Chapter 3
Wage and Hour Laws
Both Massachusetts and federal law have many
rules about the payment of wages, which are strictly
enforced. These include: (i) state and federal minimum
wage laws; (ii) state and federal overtime laws; and (iii)
Massachusetts laws requiring timely payment of wages.
It is important to note that if an employer does not follow
these rules, liability is strict (meaning the employer is
liable even if the nonpayment was an innocent or clerical
mistake that is not corrected), and the employer can be
responsible for multiple damages and for paying the
employee’s legal fees. Many of these statutes also
33| Rules of the Road
