MAPS LEGISLATIVE ALERT - MA SENATE POISED TO TAKE UP ANTI-STAFFING LEGISLATION

Wed, 05/19/2010 - 15:56 — Mark Carlson

Plan Now to Call Your Senators Friday

The Massachusetts Senate is poised to consider anti-staffing legislation that, if passed, would greatly harm staffing firms doing business in that state. 
MAPS, ASA, the Massachusetts Staffing Association, and the associations’ lobbyists have been working with the legislature to oppose this legislation, but if the state budget bill is amended to include the anti-staffing legislation, grass roots efforts will be needed. Therefore, staffing firms should be prepared to contact their state senators on Friday and urge them to oppose the legislation.
 
If included in the budget bill, the legislation wouldlikely include staffing firmregistration and temporary worker “right to know” provisions. Such provisions would require staffing firms to provide temporary workers with written notice of, among other things, the expected duration of the work to be performed, a job description,and information on health and safety hazardsas well asthe staffing firm’s workers’ compensation carrier.
For firms that assign thousands of workers per year in Massachusetts, attempting to satisfy these requirements would be cost-prohibitive and administratively difficult, if not impossible. This added cost would inevitably drive up the prices of staffing services, which in turn would lead to reduced demand for temporary employees and job loss.

Should grass roots efforts be necessary, MAPS & ASA will alert you on Friday.  In the meantime, please take the time to learn who the state senators are for the districts in which you work and live.  I have attached copies of both the Senate and House bills (they are mirrors of each other).  In particular, around line 235 in the Senate bill, is described what staffing agencies can no longer do should these bills become law.

To find your state senators, click on http://www.mass.gov/legis/city_town.htm
blocked::http://www.mass.gov/legis/city_town.htm" href="http://www.mass.gov/legis/city_town.htm">http://www.mass.gov/legis/city_town.htm

Please be ready to act as this legislation will drastically change the landscape of staffing and recruiting in Massachusetts.

AttachmentSize
House 4623.pdf125.99 KB
SB 2364 An Act Updating and Streamlining the Regulation of Employment Agencies.pdf322.9 KB