Phifer Pinkham, LLC is pleased to announce that Jenifer Pinkham has successfully defended an appeal in the Massachusetts Appeals Court on behalf of a local motel owner who was sued by ex-employees, claiming violations of the Massachusetts Wage Act and Massachusetts minimum wage laws. The ex-employees had been provided rent-free housing adjacent to the motel where they worked, as part of their compensation, in addition to weekly wages. The appealing ex-employees argued, among other arguments, that the value of the housing accommodation should have been limited to $130 per week, pursuant to a Massachusetts regulation limiting wage credits for lodging rooms, and that therefore their total cumulative wages were less than minimum wage. Attorney Pinkham argued that the regulation did not apply to a multi-bedroom apartment, and that the fair market value of the housing can be considered wages. The Appeals Court agreed with Attorney Pinkham’s interpretation of the regulation and ruled in favor of the defendant, employer motel-owner.
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