Royal

Federal Agencies to Collaborate on Workplace Violations

March 2, 2022

As predicted in an earlier post, leaders at the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and National Labor Relations Board met virtually last week to discuss working collaboratively on identifying potential employer violations related to workers rights.

Representative from all three agencies were adamant that the collaboration is necessary due to “gaps” in federal enforcement of pay, anti-discrimination, anti-harassment and anti-retaliation laws. The threesome plan to hold cross-training sessions to better understand each other’s mission, establish a referral base for one another, and even enter joint settlements in which multiple agencies have related cases. This relationship could also allow an agency to advise a worker to file a charge or complaint with another agency and provide information on how to do so, so long as regulators believe unlawful conduct that falls under the jurisdiction of another agency has occurred.



A common goal shared by all is preventing retaliation, particularly against underserved workers in low-paying jobs, often women and people of color. Additionally, the agencies not only want to streamline interactions with those alleging violations that may intersect departments, but also to better inform relevant groups and organizations about worker rights. EEOC, for example, has built relationships with community groups, worker groups and nonprofits in its efforts to do just that. As this “Big 3” of federal labor and employment law enforcement teams up, employers should remain vigilant and ensure they are acting in accordance with the law.


If your business has any questions about this topic, or any other general employment issues, please do not hesitate to contact the attorneys at The Royal Law Firm at 413-586-2288.

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?
Share by: