MMHR seminar covers range of timely human resource issues

Key topics in labor law and labor relations were the focus of the annual Massachusetts Municipal Human Resources Labor Relations Seminar on Oct. 25 in Devens.

The program opened with a labor law update from attorney Melissa Murray of Norris, Murray & Peloquin. Her update covered a bill called the Francis Perkins Pay Equity Act, which would establish measures to close racial and gender wage gaps. She said the proposal is part of a larger “move toward salary transparency across the United States” that Massachusetts is helping to lead.

“We’re part of a growing trend across the country that is requiring this,” she said.

Murray also discussed the U.S. Department of Justice’s recent updates to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which require state and local government websites and mobile apps to adopt new accessibility standards, such as captions for videos and images.

“Because we do so much more online than we used to,” Murray said, “there’s a lot more we need to do to make sure our websites are accessible.”

MMA Legislative Director David Koffman provided an update on recent and notable legislation affecting municipal human resources management. Topics he covered included the new Frances Perkins Workplace Equity Act and its enforcement timeline, and updates to disability pensions for first responders who suffered violent injuries on the job. Koffman also discussed legislative topics expected in the year ahead.

The morning included a keynote presentation with Bill Keefe, executive director of the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission, and Needham Town Manager Kate Fitzpatrick, a PERAC member.

Keefe covered key public retirement system information for human resources professionals, as well as relevant legislation, including a violent assault disability law and changes to the HERO Act, which advances retirement benefits for Massachusetts veterans working in public service.

Fitzpatrick shared strategies for discussing retirement benefits and options with municipal employees. She said pensions can be a useful tool for recruitment and retention, particularly among younger employees.

“Research on Generation Z indicates that they think they will never be able to retire,” she said. “Try to encourage your Gen Z’s to stay in the system. Write job descriptions that say something like, ‘We have a pension so you won’t have to work until you’re 80!’”

The afternoon featured three concurrent workshops.

An interactive roundtable on developing and updating a strong employee handbook was led by attorney Katherine Feodoroff of Mead, Talerman & Costa, MMHR Chair and Southborough Assistant Town Administrator Vanessa Hale, and Natick Human Resources Director Dorothy Blondiet.

Feodoroff discussed how to update and use a digital employee handbook.

“This is a one-stop shop,” she said. “When you’re onboarding, when you’re hiring, you can get your employee a single document that’s accessible, that they can keep on their computer desktop.”

Digital handbooks have the benefit of adaptability and flexibility, she said, “because we deal with regular changes in the law.”

Hale discussed how she updated Southborough’s digital employee handbook after the passage in 2022 of the CROWN Act, which prohibits discrimination against natural and “protective” hairstyles.

“Those kinds of things, you have to be current on, because if you’re not current, you’re not compliant with the law,” Feodoroff added.

Other workshops included an introduction to management rights with attorneys Michael Maccaro and Madison Harris-Parks of Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane and Weston Assistant Town Manager Lisa Yanakakis; and an overview of the Fair Labor Standards Act with attorney Sean O’Connor of Morgan, Brown, & Joy.