Knowing and being in compliance with the law builds customer trust and demonstrates adherence to values in both the market and the workplace. For a family owned business such as Vitale Collision Repair, the owner’s personal values are reflected in the relationships and physical environment cultivated at the shop. This is recognized by many long term customers who may have been going to Vitale Collision Repair for decades.
I have previously written about how many legal issues involved in managing employee relations, as well as what qualities are desirable in a manager. It is very important for an employer to be aware of the law, including state legislation, that governs employee relations. Applicability of various laws can depend on the size of a business. I like to use the phrase “head in the sand” when referring to an employer of any size who is not aware of or who willfully chooses to ignore an employment law that affects their workplace. That attitude can have serious consequences.
One of these laws is the law regarding bereavement leave in Massachusetts. Massachusetts is one of a small number of states that legislates the issue of what must be offered to workers if a death in the family occurs. The bereavement leave must include three days off but can be treated as unpaid time off. In addition, the law applies to a spouse or child of the employee, as well as parents, siblings, grandparents and mothers-in-law and fathers-in-law. This law is applicable regardless of the size of the business.
Some bereavement leave laws allow benefits that exceed those in Massachusetts, but this is the minimum requirement for most employers. For example, the bereavement leave provisions of the Wisconsin law provides 5 days of unpaid leave for a death in the family. Compare this to other common forms of leave that are commonplace in the service industry such as parental leave and sick leave. For example, federal law requires 12 weeks off for the birth or adoption of a child or for a serious health condition of the employee or a family member. This is in contrast to the 5 days of bereavement leave required in Wisconsin.
Although the bereavement leave law excludes Massachusetts employers with fewer than 50 employees, the law requires employees who have been employed for 3 months. It appears that Massachusetts is one of the states that has a more employee-friendly bereavement leave law.
For a small business owner, knowing and complying with their employee-related legal obligations is very important. This includes worker compensation, unemployment insurance, housing discrimination, wage laws and the learned above. It is likely that one of your competitors has been involved with a worker’s compensation claim that resulted in a large premium increase. Failing to know those requirements can result in a significant reduction of resources by improperly attempting to do something that is legally required of you or missing out on a benefit you are entitled to.