Massachusetts laws
MGL c. 149, § 148 Payment of wages
In most circumstances, if you are fired you should be paid in full on your last day. If you leave your job voluntarily, you must be paid on the next regular payday.
“[A]ny employee leaving his employment shall be paid in full on the following regular pay day...and any employee discharged from such employment shall be paid in full on the day of his discharge.”
MGL c. 175, § 110G Continuation of health care benefits after involuntary layoff
MGL c. 176J, § 9 Massachusetts “Mini-COBRA” law for continuation of health care benefits for businesses with 2-19 employees
Selected cases
Web sources
At-will employment and wrongful termination, Findlaw.com, December 2023.
Information on what it means to be an at-will employee and exceptions to the at-will employment doctrine.
Exceptions to the at-will employment doctrine, Robert S. Mantell, 2016.
"The at-will employment doctrine, that an employee can be terminated for any reason or for no reason, is a doctrine whose validity is dwarfed by its numerous exceptions." This article lists those exceptions with references to statutes and cases.
I lost my job. Can I get Unemployment Insurance in Massachusetts?, Mass. Legal Help, 2026.
"If you were fired, you may be able to get Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits in Massachusetts."
Quitting, layoffs, and getting fired, Mass. Legal Help, 2026.
Information on employee rights when leaving employment, "whether you are leaving your job by choice or because your employer fired you or laid you off."
Worker’s guide to advance notice of closings and layoffs (PDF), U.S. Department of Labor.
“The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act helps ensure advance notice in cases of qualified plant closings and mass layoffs…This guide provides a brief overview of the WARN Act provisions and answers to frequently asked questions about employee rights.”
Workplace law basics, Fair Employment Project.
"'Employment at will' is the default rule in Massachusetts...That means that unless you are covered by a union contract (collective bargaining agreement) or some other contract that gives you job protections, you are probably employed 'at will.' This means that as a general rule, employers may hire and fire as they please, and by extension, treat their workforces as they see fit."
Print sources
Dealing with problem employees: How to manage performance and personality issues in the workplace, Nolo, 2026. (eBook available with library card)
Chapters 6-10.
Human resource law from A to Z, NBI, 2019.
Human resource law: What you need to know now, NBI, 2017.
Labor and employment in Massachusetts by Jeffrey L. Hirsch, 2nd ed., LexisNexis, loose-leaf. (eBook available with library card)
Chapter 18: Termination of Employment.
Representing a plaintiff in a wrongful termination case, 7th ed., MCLE, 2022.
Contact
Online
| Last updated: | October 15, 2026 |
|---|