Blog & News

Economic Development | Economy

Boston Becomes Hub of Toy and Game Universe

By Brooke Thomson President & CEO Suddenly, Boston is the center of the toy and game universe. Hasbro,…

Employment Law | Human Resources | Workforce

Ask the Helpline: Harassment Policies and Training in Massachusetts

Question Is it enough to include my harassment policy in the employee handbook, or does Massachusetts require that…

Employment Law | Human Resources | Workforce

We’ve Had It—They Have to Be Terminated Today!

Why Skipping Feedback and Coaching Hurts More Than It Helps (and the Legal Risks in Massachusetts) Why it…

AIM Members | Education | Workforce

Wayne J. Griffin Electric of Holliston Earns 2025 Gould Award

Wayne Griffin, center, stops during a tour of Wayne Griffin Electric with, left to right, Michael Winters,  formerly…

Associated Industries of Massachusetts | Business Confidence | Economy

Business Outlook Remains Stable, Pessimistic

Business confidence remained stable during August – and just slightly pessimistic – as employer sentiment bounced between a…

Business | Regulation | Retail

New Advertising, Subscription Rules Take Effect Today

Massachusetts businesses must comply starting today with sweeping new regulations on price advertising and subscription services.   Attorney…

Associated Industries of Massachusetts | Business | Human Resources

Ask the Helpline: Do You Have to Pay Out Floating Holidays at Termination?

Question: My employee recently resigned from her position. We offer active employees one floating holiday per year. The…

Human Resources | Workforce

Drug Testing in the Workplace: What HR Needs to Know

Drug and alcohol testing can be an important tool for keeping the workplace safe, productive, and compliant with…

Education | Manufacturing

Clash of Trades Combines Reality TV with Manufacturing

By Brooke Thomson President & CEO What do you get when you cross reality TV with manufacturing? The…

Economy | International

Broadened Tariffs Weaken Economy

By Brooke Thomson President & CEO Tariffs have begun to exact a toll on Massachusetts businesses and consumers….

Associated Industries of Massachusetts | Business Confidence

Business Confidence Weakens Slightly

Business confidence fell slightly and remained in pessimistic territory during July as the US and Massachusetts economies gave…

Business Management | Human Resources | Workforce

When Morale Tanks – Turning the Energy Around

Have you ever encountered a situation in which you saw employee morale dip significantly, maybe after a round…

Employment Law | Human Resources | Workforce

Ask the Helpline: What Should We Do About Employees Stealing Time?

Question We’ve recently heard that some employees are clocking in or out for their coworkers, and others are…

Associated Industries of Massachusetts | Massachusetts Legislature

How Are We Doing at Mid-Year?

By Brooke Thomson President & CEO It’s been a head-spinning first six months of 2025 here at AIM….

Associated Industries of Massachusetts | Human Resources

One Misstep, Two Claims: How a Timing Error Cost the Employer

A recent case before the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts resulted in a split decision after an employee…

Human Resources

Ask the Helpline: Can We Fire Someone Under At-Will Without Risk?

Question: My manager wants to fire an employee this month and plans to rely only on the “at-will”…

Associated Industries of Massachusetts | Massachusetts Legislature | Small Business

Small-Business Ombudsman Proposed by AIM Becomes Law

A new state small-business ombudsman role has been established following an idea proposed during an AIM economic inclusion…

AIM Members | Business Management | Education

These Employers are Changing Lives through Opportunity

By Brooke Thomson President & CEO Every once in a while, you get an epiphany about the unique…

AIM Members | Business | Workforce

McDonald’s Helps Employees Move from First Job to Dream Job

Claudia Coelho began her work life the same way one in eight Americans do – she took a…

SJC Rules That Non-Solicitation Clauses Fall Outside Non-Compete Law

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) recently ruled in favor of an employer seeking to enforce a non-solicitation…

Employment Law | Human Resources | Workforce

Ask the Helpline: Statutes of Limitations on Employee Claims

Question We are updating our employee handbook. As we reviewed the laws it covers, we started thinking about…