The Massachusetts
Labor Law Guide

Minimum wage is the lowest hourly pay rate that employers are legally obligated to pay employees. The federal minimum wage is a wage baseline, but different states, cities, and regions can adopt their own rates. 

$15.00 per hour for most employees (as of 2024)

In Massachusetts, the minimum wage is set at the state level, so the amount is the same across all cities.

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Tipped minimum wage is the lowest hourly pay rate employers are legally obligated to pay employees who earn a significant portion of their income through tips. 

$6.75 per hour for most tipped employees (as of 2024) as long as employees’ tips reach $15 per hour

Massachusetts’ overtime laws indicate that most employees who work over 40 hours in a workweek are eligible to be paid one and one-half times their regular hourly rate. If state or federal laws conflict, most employers are entitled to the one with the higher benefit.

Under Massachusetts wage and hour laws, most nonexempt employees must be given a 30-minute break if they work more than 6 hours during a calendar day. During their meal break, employees must be free of all duties and free to leave the workplace. This break must be unpaid. 

In addition, many employees must be given a day of rest after working six consecutive days. The day of rest is defined as 24 hours and must include the interval from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

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Vacation leave
Massachusetts does not require private-sector employers to offer paid vacation leave to their employees. However, employers can choose to provide paid or unpaid vacation leave.

Paid Sick Leave
Most Massachusetts workers have the right to earn and use up to 40 hours of sick leave per year to either [a] take care of themselves or [b] take care of their family. For every 30 hours worked, workers are entitled to earn at least one sick leave hour. 

Holidays
Under Massachusetts Blue Laws, an employer is not obligated to pay additional holiday wages. Learn more about the restrictions of this law by industry here.

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Minors who are 14 and 15 years old can only work between 7 AM - 7 PM during the school year. They can work between 7 AM and 9 PM during summer (July 1st - Labor Day). 

The maximum hours they can work when school is in session:

• 18 hours a week

• 3 hours a day on school days

• 8 hours a day Saturday, Sunday, and holidays

• 6 days a week

The maximum hours they can work when school is not in session:

• 40 hours a week

• 8 hours a day

• 6 days week

Minors who are 16 and 17 years old can only work between 6 AM and 10 PM on nights preceding a regular school day. They can work between 6 AM and 1130 PM on nights when school is not scheduled. 

The maximum hours they can work during on and off school hours:

• 48 hours a week

• 9 hours a day

• 6 days a week

Hiring
In Massachusetts, employers should generally not ask about the following during the hiring process:

• Age

• Criminal record information

• Disability

• Gender identity

• Genetic information

• National origin

• Polygraph

• Pregnancy

• Race/Color

• Religion

• Salary History

• Sexual orientation

However, during the hiring process, employers can ask for:

• Social security number

• Credit report, but they have to follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act

• References

Firing
Massachusetts employers have the right to terminate employees at will for nearly any reason and no reason at all.