Author Archives: Ashlyn Dowd

About Ashlyn Dowd

Ashlyn participated in Mirick O’Connell’s Summer Associate Program in 2019. In October 2020, she joined the firm as an associate in the Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits Group. Ashlyn provides legal advice to public and private employers regarding human resources issues, including the hiring and termination of employees, leaves of absence, disciplinary matters and reductions in force. In addition, she drafts employee handbooks, personnel policies and all types of employment-related agreements.

Employers Must Remember Their Obligations under the Massachusetts Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

Posted on October 27, 2022 by Ashlyn Dowd

The Massachusetts Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (the “Act”), which went into effect on April 1, 2018, amended Massachusetts General Law c. 151B to include “pregnancy or a condition related to pregnancy, including, but not limited to, lactation, or the need … Continue reading →

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Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Adopts FLSA’s Joint Employer Test

Posted on December 22, 2021 by Ashlyn Dowd

Jonathan R. Sigel and Ashlyn E. Dowd On December 13, 2021, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) considered whether the so-called “ABC Test” set forth in M.G.L.c. 149, §148B (“Section 148B”) should be applied to determine whether an entity is … Continue reading →

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OSHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) – Temporarily Blocked

Posted on November 11, 2021 by Ashlyn Dowd

As part of President Biden’s “Path Out of the Pandemic” COVID-19 plan, the Biden Administration instructed the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) to promulgate an Emergency Temporary Standard (the “ETS”) regarding mandatory vaccinations or weekly … Continue reading →

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Employer Tax Credits for Employee Paid Leave Due to COVID-19 Applies to Government Entities

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Ashlyn Dowd

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently published guidance defining “Eligible Employer” for purposes of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) tax credits.     Under ARPA, certain employers can claim refundable tax credits that reimburse them for the costs of providing … Continue reading →

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COVID-19 Mandates in the Workplace

Posted on April 22, 2021 by Ashlyn Dowd

As we pass the one year anniversary of the COVID-19 Pandemic, new rules regarding COVID-19 mandates in the workplace are imminent. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) is preparing an Emergency Temporary Standard (the “Emergency Standard”) to better protect … Continue reading →

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DOL Publishes Model Notices for COBRA Subsidies

Posted on April 9, 2021 by Ashlyn Dowd

As we previously reported, on March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) into law, which includes a COBRA premium assistance program. Pursuant to ARPA, the Department of Labor (DOL) was instructed to issue model notices … Continue reading →

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American Rescue Plan Act Contains COBRA Subsidies

Posted on March 16, 2021 by Ashlyn Dowd

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA” or the “Act”) into law. The Act creates a six-month subsidy period, from April 1, 2021 to September 30, 2021, during which individuals who lost health … Continue reading →

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Massachusetts Federal Court Denies Motion to Dismiss Defamation Claim After Employee is Escorted Out of Work Following Termination

Posted on February 4, 2021 by Ashlyn Dowd

By: Jonathan Sigel, Esq. and Ashlyn Dowd, Esq. The Federal District Court of Massachusetts recently denied a defendant company’s motion to dismiss a defamation claim following the termination of the company’s Vice President.  The plaintiff former employee, Sandra Madden, was … Continue reading →

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EEOC Opinion Letter: Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA)

Posted on January 29, 2021 by Ashlyn Dowd

On January 14, 2021, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) finally issued an opinion letter addressing the long standing issue of whether information about non-U.S. citizen employees working outside of the United States must be included in the information disclosure … Continue reading →

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