At a glance
- Minimum wage: $15.00 an hour.
- Tipped cash wage: $6.75.
- Overtime: after 40 hours in a workweek.
- Final paycheck if fired: on the last day of work.
- Paid sick leave: Yes. Paid family leave program: Yes.
What Massachusetts employers need to know
Massachusetts has one of the strictest wage payment laws in the country. If wages, including final pay or earned vacation, are paid late, the Wage Act requires triple damages and attorney fees, and courts apply that even when the employer made an honest mistake. Final pay is due on the last day for terminated employees. Add paid family and medical leave, earned sick time, and a pay transparency law, and Massachusetts rewards employers who run payroll carefully.
Massachusetts minimum wage
| Minimum wage | $15.00 |
|---|---|
| Tipped cash wage | $6.75 |
| Next change | None scheduled |
Pay the highest rate that applies where the employee works: federal, state, or local. For comparison, neighboring states pay Rhode Island ($16.00), Connecticut ($16.94), New York ($17.00), Vermont ($14.42), New Hampshire ($7.25). See every state side by side in our minimum wage by state table, and convert between hourly and annual pay with the salary to hourly calculator.
Massachusetts overtime rules
The federal FLSA rule applies: overtime at 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek. There is no daily overtime rule.
Exempt salary test: the federal minimum of $684 a week ($35,568 a year) applies. Duties tests apply too, so job titles alone don't make someone exempt.
Work out overtime owed with our overtime calculator, compare states in overtime laws by state, and check classification with our guide to exempt vs non-exempt employees.
Massachusetts meal and rest break laws
Meal breaks: A 30-minute meal break for every 6 hours worked, during which the employee is free of all duties and free to leave.
Rest breaks: No state rest break law for adults. Under federal law, short breaks of 5 to 20 minutes that you choose to give must be paid.
Many states have stricter break rules for minors. Compare adult rules nationwide in break laws by state, and total up shifts with the time card calculator.
Massachusetts final paycheck law
| If you fire or lay off the employee | On the last day of work. |
|---|---|
| If the employee quits | By the next regular payday. |
| Unused vacation or PTO | Required. Earned vacation is treated as wages and must be paid on the final day, along with other final wages. |
Build the deadline into your offboarding checklist. Our offboarding guide covers the full process, the PTO payout calculator works out the amount, and the final paycheck laws by state table compares every state.
Massachusetts paid sick leave and family leave
Paid sick leave: Earned Sick Time: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours a year. Employers with 11 or more employees must pay for it.
Paid family and medical leave: Massachusetts PFML: up to 12 weeks of family leave, 20 weeks of medical leave, and 26 weeks combined in a benefit year, funded by employer and employee contributions.
Federal FMLA: employers with 50 or more employees within 75 miles must also give eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave. Read our FMLA guide, and compare states in paid leave laws by state.
Hiring, pay transparency, and payroll setup
Pay transparency: Required for employers with 25 or more employees since October 29, 2025: pay range in job postings.
New hire reporting: Report each new hire within 14 days, shorter than the federal 20-day deadline.
State income tax withholding: Yes. Register with the state tax agency before the first payroll.
Our pay transparency laws guide explains posting rules in more depth, and our job description templates include pay data for 50 common roles.
What trips up Massachusetts employers
- Late wages, including final pay and vacation, carry mandatory triple damages.
- Terminated employees must be paid in full on their last day, including accrued vacation.
- Report new hires within 14 days.
- Massachusetts uses a strict test for independent contractors, so misclassification risk is high.
Sources and the agency to contact
- Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (state labor agency)
- US Department of Labor: state minimum wage laws
- US Department of Labor: minimum wages for tipped employees by state
- US Department of Labor: state meal period requirements
General information for US employers, not legal advice. Laws change and have exceptions by industry, employer size, and city. Confirm current rules with the state agency or employment counsel before you rely on them.
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<a href="https://www.hrtally.com/state-labor-laws/massachusetts/">Massachusetts labor laws for employers (2026)</a> (source: HRTally)
Suggested citation: HRTally Research Team. "Massachusetts labor laws for employers (2026)." HRTally, updated October 20, 2026. https://www.hrtally.com/state-labor-laws/massachusetts/
Frequently asked questions
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Written by the HRTally Research Team
Our guides are written and reviewed by people with hands-on US HR, payroll, and HR technology experience. Legal and tax facts are checked against primary sources, such as the Department of Labor, IRS, EEOC, and USCIS, and linked at the end of each guide. Vendors never review or pay for our editorial content.