Massachusetts

Discussion

Massachusetts: No Individual Liability for PFML Violations

In Laughlin v. BinStar, Inc., the Massachusetts Superior Court ruled the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) law does not permit claims against individuals, such as corporate officers, directors, or investors. In the Laughlin case, an employee on PFML leave claimed that company representatives continued to contact him about high-level executive work matters during his protected leave, thereby interfering with his right to take that leave. He sued both the employer and the individual defendants, alleging that the individuals aided and abetted the employer’s violations of the PFML law. The court dismissed the claims because the definition of “employer” under the PFML law limits coverage to employing entities and not individuals.

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