HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1164        FILED ON: 2/2/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4163

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Sheila C. Harrington

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to severance payments.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Sheila C. Harrington

1st Middlesex

2/2/2021


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1164        FILED ON: 2/2/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4163

By Mrs. Harrington of Groton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 4163) of Sheila C. Harrington relative to severance payments.  Labor and Workforce Development.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

 

An Act relative to severance payments.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Section 148 of chapter 149 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the first paragraph the following paragraph:-

Notwithstanding any other general or special law to the contrary, for the purposes of this section the word “wages” shall include, but not be limited to, any funds paid or agreed to be paid to an employee pursuant to a severance or other employment agreement or company policy, either prior to or after termination of the employee’s employment, where the funds paid or agreed to be paid are: (i) not for services that are actually performed, not made pursuant to an agreement to settle a claim and not based on performance criteria other than years of service; and (ii) paid or agreed to be paid periodically on either a weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, monthly or annual basis with regular deductions; provided, however, that the word “wages” shall not include said funds when paid in a single lump sum.