Department of Labor Standards Public Hearing

The Department of Labor Standards shall conduct two public hearings to determine the appropriateness of issuing regulatory guidance in the form of an opinion letter regarding the scope of “agricultural and farm work” within the context of the Massachusetts Minimum Wage and Overtime Laws and in light of the recent Supreme Judicial Court case of Arias-Villano vs. Chang Enterprises, Inc. et al 481 Mass 425 (2019)

Notice is hereby given pursuant to M.G.L. c. 30A, §2, that the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, in conjunction with the Department of Labor Standards (DLS), will hold two public hearings on this matter. The purpose of the informal public hearings will be to receive public comments or questions and to determine if additional guidance from the Department may be beneficial.

The hearings will be held on Thursday, February 27, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. in the Old Chapel, UMass Amherst, MA, 144 Hicks Way, Amherst, MA (parking at UMass Amherst Parking Garage or for handicap parking Lot 64 between Goodell and South College) and Friday, February 28, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at MassDEP Central Office, 8 New Bond Street, Worcester, MA (parking along building or in back).

How to submit testimony

The Department encourages all interested parties, including those who testify at the public hearing, to submit written questions and comments electronically to dlsFeedback@state.ma.us. Please submit electronic testimony as an attached Word document and type “Agriculture and Farming” in the subject line. Kindly include the sender’s full name and address.

Parties who are unable to submit electronic comments should mail submissions to:

Office of the General Counsel, Department of Labor Standards
19 Staniford Street, Second Floor
Boston, MA 02114

All written or oral comments submitted to the Department may be posted on the Department’s website and released in response to a request for public records.

**All written testimony must be received by Monday, March 4, 2020**