Massachusetts and Rhode Island lawmakers were busy throughout 2025 enacting labor and employment-related legislation. Understanding these critical legal updates is essential for employers seeking to comply with applicable laws and ensure fair labor and employment practices in their workplace. Below is a selection of these important laws, highlighting key elements of each new legislation.
Massachusetts
House Bill H. 4890: An Act Relative To Salary Range Transparency
As of October 29, 2025, public and private employers with 25 or more employees in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are required to disclose pay ranges in all job postings. Employers are also required to provide a pay range to any employee who is offered a promotion or requests the pay range for their current position. In addition, all Massachusetts employers with 100 or more employees must submit demographic and pay data to the Commonwealth for purposes of public reporting by the state. The federal EEO-I Employer Information Report can be used to satisfy this requirement.
Paid Family Medical Leave Act: Benefit Cap Increase
As of January 1, 2025, the maximum weekly benefit under the state’s Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) Act is $1,170.64, up from $1,149.90 in 2024. Eligible employees may take leave under the Massachusetts PFML for up to 26 weeks per benefit year.
Rhode Island
RI General Law §28-12: Minimum Wage and Overtime Standards
Beginning January 1, 2026, Rhode Island’s minimum wage increased to $16.00...
PORTLAND, Maine (WGME) -- A week after employees at the Holy Donut on Park Avenue in Portland told the company they were looking to unionize, the company now says those workers made false accusati...