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Baker Administration Launches Jobs Program for Private Employers

March 28, 2022

Last week, Governor Baker and his administration launched HireNow, a workforce development program designed to provide private employers with the financial resources to immediately hire and train new employees.



HireNow aims to address hiring challenges faced by employers brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. As of today, there are approximately 200,000 open available across the Bay State. The program is supported by $50 million in American Rescue Plan funds and streamlines the funds directly to employers so they can hire workers immediately and train them at virtually no extra expense.


The program will provide eligible employers, (i.e., private for-profit or non-profit companies) with a $4,000 grant-per-employee to be used to cover the costs of training, or, as a sign-on bonus. Employers may be approved for a total of 100 employees ($400,000 in state funding) through this program. All funds are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis and are available until December 31st, 2022, or until funds are exhausted.


Of note, local, state, and federal government jobs are excluded. Employees must remain with the company for at least 60 days for employers to receive funding and must be Massachusetts residents.

Employers can click here to register as a HireNow employer. Once registration is complete, employers can apply for a grant for each new employee hired, once that employee has been employed for at least 60 days by that organization.


For more information on this, or any other employment and labor law matter, please contact the attorneys at The Royal Law Firm LLP; (413) 586-2288. We know business matters!

 

Massachusetts’ Superior Court Judge Rules Recording in Workplace Admissible

February 19, 2025
The Massachusetts Superior Court found that Massachusetts’ wiretap statue does not bar employers from using allegedly illegally obtained recordings in civil proceedings. In a recent case, an employee claimed she was forced to resign. Plaintiff’s coworker recorded an argument between the Plaintiff and her supervisor without her consent and shared it with supervisors. The employee then sued for discrimination and retaliation, along with two counts for violation of the wiretap statute. Massachusetts is a two-party consent state but, in this case, it was found that the consent of only one party was needed because nothing in the Wiretap Statute bars the use of an allegedly illegally obtained communication in a civil proceeding. The court found that the provisions about the use of illegally obtained communications in evidence are limited to criminal trials. However, depending on the court, results may differ, as this recording was central to proving and/or disproving the Plaintiff’s claim, and as such, the recording was indispensable as a piece of evidence. Issues with unauthorized recordings have been arising all the time in civil proceedings because recording devices are everywhere, whether they be a cell phone, laptop or other recording device. This ruling is good for employers, as if there is an otherwise inadmissible recording that is made that disproves an employee’s claims, it can be admissible as evidence if meets the same scenario above. However, employers must be careful to use these recordings as they may be inadmissible and may not show the same thing that the employer believes in the court’s eyes. This being said, it is prudent to consult an attorney before utilizing a recording for any employment action or in legal action to avoid unwanted consequences. If your business has any questions on this topic or any other matters, please do not hesitate to contact the attorneys at The Royal Law Firm at 413-586-2288.

After the DEI Executive Order

February 14, 2025
What Are the Compliance Requirements for Private Employers?
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