Top: U.S. Secretary of Labor Martin J. Walsh delivers the keynote address.
Bottom: From left: MBA Labor & Employment Section Council Chair Michelle De Oliveira, Labor & Employment Section Council Vice Chair Valerie C. Samuels, U.S. Secretary of Labor Martin J. Walsh, and Labor & Employment Section Council members Scott Miller, Dennis M. Coyne and Alfred A. Gray Jr.
The Massachusetts Bar Association held its 43rd Annual Labor & Employment Spring Conference as an in-person event at Suffolk University Law School on Wednesday, May 18.
This year's keynote speaker was U.S. Secretary of Labor Martin J. Walsh, who began his position in 2021 after spending spent the previous seven years as mayor of Boston. Walsh highlighted major accomplishments of the current administration, including record-low unemployment rates, new job creation, and the Department of Labor's plans to create pathways for lower-income workers and the middle class.
During his time as mayor, Walsh led the creation of close to 140,000 jobs and helped secure a statewide $15/hour minimum wage, paid sick leave, and paid parental leave. He established universal, high-quality pre-kindergarten for all children, and free community college for low-income students.
Among the faculty presenters at this year's conference were a number of judges and accomplished attorneys who have provided significant thought leadership in the areas of labor and employment law.
Other conference highlights included:
- Employment Law Update
- Labor Law Update
- COVID-19's Everlasting Impact in the Workplace: Vaccine Mandates, Returning to the Office, Remote Work and Reasonable Accommodations
- Annual Judicial Panel
- Networking Reception