By Bob Katzen

The House, on a voice vote without a roll call, gave initial approval to legislation designed to protect the rights and money of workers who receive their wages through electronic wage cards from their employers. It updates Massachusetts wage laws to reflect the increasing use of payroll card accounts and is designed to ensure that employees who are paid through electronic wage cards have full, fair and transparent access to their earned wages.

The legislation would require that employees be able to access the full amount of their net wages at least once per pay period without incurring fees. It also mandates clear disclosure of any fees associated with payroll cards and guarantees that employees can check their account balances at no cost.

“I first drafted part of this bill nearly a decade ago while I was in law school, long before I ever imagined serving in public office,” said sponsor Rep. Francisco Paulino (D-Methuen). “Even then, I saw how workers could lose part of their paycheck to hidden fees simply because of how they were paid. Today, this legislation turns that early work into action—ensuring every worker has full, fair access to every dollar they earn, with the transparency and protections they deserve.”