Mass. Court Limits Liability under PFMLA to Employers, Not Individuals
Takeaways In Laughlin, a Massachusetts Superior Court clarified that the Massachusetts PFMLA does not impose individual liability to corporate officers or agents because the law’s definition of “employer” does not extend liability to individuals. The court also rejected an aiding-and-abetting theory under the PFMLA. Employers should consider Laughlin when evaluating claims dismissal strategies when plaintiffs name individuals as defendants in claims and limit interactions with employees on approved PFMLA leave. Related links Laughlin v. BinStar, Inc. (Delaware), et al. Article A Massachusetts Superior Court judge has dismissed Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFMLA) claims against two individual defendants, holding that the PFMLA does not extend individual liability to a corporate employer’s officers or agents, including individual investors or board members. Laughlin v. BinStar, Inc. (Delaware), et al. , No. 25-1625-BLS1 (Feb. 26, 202...