What Damages Can You Get for Late or Unpaid Wages?

Mandatory Triple Damages and Attorney's Fees Under the Massachusetts Wage Act

The Massachusetts Wage Act provides for mandatory triple damages and reimbursement of attorneys fees. This means if you prove that you were owed money, the court is required to order the employer to pay three times that amount, and to reimburse any attorneys' fees the court deems reasonable.

Until recently, employers could avoid triple damages by paying the amount owed before a complaint was filed. A recent Supreme Judicial Court decision, however, has changed that, by holding that the employer is subject to this penalty even if they correct their mistake shortly after the payment was due.

By way of example, if you are owed $1,000 at termination and your employer pays that to you late, you are entitled not only to that $1,000, but also an additional $2,000 to bring the total to three times the late paid amount.

This applies to the final paycheck on termination or resignation, as well as to delayed payment of regular payroll checks during employment.

Learn more here about damages under the Massachusetts Wage Act.