As the issue of domestic violence is brought to the forefront of national dialogue Massachusetts has acted:

"In the wake of the Ray and Janay Rice incident sweeping the news across the country, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has enacted emergency legislation entitled “ An Act relative to domestic violence.”  The new law is effective immediately and mandates that all employers with 50 or more employees permit an employee to take up to 15 days of leave from work in any 12-month period if the employee, or a family member (defined below) of the employee, is a victim of abusive behavior and the employee is using the leave from work to:

• Seek or obtain medical attention, counseling, victim services or legal assistance; secure housing; obtain a protective order from a court; appear in court or before a grand jury; meet with a district attorney or other law enforcement official; attend child custody proceedings; or address other issues directly related to the abusive behavior against the employee or family member of the employee; and

• The employee is not the perpetrator of the abusive behavior against such employee’s family member."  ( link)