Vacation Pay

Employers Must Pay for Unused Vacation Time

Did your former employer neglect to pay you for unused vacation time? If you left your job in Massachusetts – whether you quit or were terminated – your employer was obligated to pay you for unused paid vacation time. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has affirmed this responsibility for those employers that provide paid vacation time to their employees.

Once it has been accrued, unused paid vacation time is considered a form of wages. Massachusetts employment laws spell out employers’ obligation to compensate employees for services by timely payment of wages. According to the attorney general of Massachusetts, employers and employees cannot override the law by entering into agreements which forgo payment for unused vacation time.

Your employer may have issued guidelines regarding use of vacation time, such as time limits on vacation usage, vacation scheduling requirements and so on. As long as your unused vacation time was not outside the bounds of such stated policies for employees — or if there were no clearly articulated policies for using vacation time — it amounts to wages your employer was required to pay.

Are You Entitled to Payment for Unused Vacation Time?

If you think your employer failed to properly compensate you for unused vacation time, contact us for a free, confidential consultation. Our knowledgeable employment law attorneys are experienced in handling conflicts related to all types of wage and hour issues. We can evaluate the facts of your case to determine whether you’re entitled to payment for unused vacation time. We can also advise you on unpaid personal and sick time, as well as matters related to the Family Medical Leave Act such as allotment of vacation time for maternity leave.