The Massachusetts Package Stores Association worked hard with its partner associations to eliminate the ballot questions going into November. Relative to this effort, click here for the full announcement from earlier today.

The Massachusetts Package Stores Association and it's partners are working hard to mitigate and terminate the new medical assessment that is hurting so many of our members. A letter was hand delivered yesterday to all six members of the Budget Conference Committee. To read the full document please CLICK HERE.

Written Testimony of the Massachusetts Package Stores Association Submitted to the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure for the Hearing Record on HB4377 - An act relative to licensing of liquor retailers. Click here to read full testimony.

On Friday, February 9, 2018, MassPack acted proactively by submitting written testimony to the Department of Unemployment Assistance at their hearing on the Employer Medical Assistance Contribution. Click here to read full testimony.

Please click here to view the report.

The laws governing mandatory health insurance for all employees and the legal responsibilities of employers will be changing as of January 1st. The healthcare assessment on employers takes effect as of Tuesday. This mandate is scheduled to expire on 12/31/2019, but I wouldn't bet on it. The new law assesses a fee on employers with 6 or more employees who have employees that receive health insurance through MassHealth or ConnectCare. The fee is assessed for each employee on MassHealth and is capped at $750 per employee per year. The law also increased existing EMAC rates from $51 per employee to $77 . Below you will find links to an overview of the new law along with the regulations. Your attorney and/or your State Representative should be able to answer any questions you might have.

• Employer Health Updates
  
• EMAC Regulations
  

As for minimum wages in 2018...the three-year $1 increase per year ended in 2017 setting the minimum wage at $11 per hour, There is no mandatory increase this year. However, we can expect that a public referendum will make the ballot in 2018, asking for a new three-year plan beginning in 2019 that would increase the minimum wage $1 per year, and ending at $15 per year in 2021.