Massachusetts Veterans Day Leave and Discrimination Protections: Handbook Statements Added and Updated

Author: Melissa Gonzalez Boyce, XpertHR Legal Editor

Effective July 14, 2016, Massachusetts employers with 50 or more employees must provide veterans with paid leave to participate in Veterans Day exercises, parades or services in their community, as long as the employee gives reasonable notice of the leave. In addition, discrimination protections under the Massachusetts Fair Employment Practices Act are now extended to include veteran status as a protected category.

As a result of these legal developments, the Veterans Day and Memorial Day Leave for Veterans Handbook Statement [50+ Employees] has been added to the Massachusetts handbook and the Veterans Day and Memorial Day Leave for Veterans Handbook Statement [0-49 Employees] and the Massachusetts table of contents have been updated. In addition, the EEO Handbook Statement: Massachusetts has been updated.