Reid M. Wakefield
Associate
Legal Administrative Assistant Lisa J. Gallo
Prior to joining the firm,Reid served as Commission Counsel for the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and previously worked in private practice in Tallahassee, Florida, as well as with the Florida Office of the Attorney General.
Bar & Court Admissions
- Massachusetts
- Florida
- U.S. District Court for Massachusetts
- U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Florida
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- Florida State University JD (2009)
- University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth BA, magna cum laude (2006)
Publications/Presentations
- “Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave – Benefits Extended,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, October 1, 2021
- “What Employers Need to Know About President Biden’s ‘Path Out of the Pandemic’ COVID-19 Action Plan,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, September 14, 2021
- “Massachusetts Emergency COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave,” On Air with Mirick O’Connell legal podcast (June 30, 2021)
- “Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave – Updated Guidance and Resources,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, June 15, 2021
- “Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave – Employer Guidance,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, June 2, 2021
- Quoted in “What the EEOC’s Updated Covid Guidelines Mean for Business Leaders,” Forbes, May 28, 2021
- "Workplace Investigations in Today's World," Mirick O'Connell Spring Webinar Series (May 21, 2021)
- “US Department of Labor Withdraws Independent Contractor Rule,” Mirick O’Connell‘s Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits Law Blog, May 10, 2021
- Quoted in “How Do US Laws Protect LGBTQ Homebuyers From Discrimination,” The Balance, April 23, 2021
- "Discussing Women in Construction," Massachusetts Construction Law Webinar (July 30, 2020)
- “Fair Housing and Housing Discrimination in Massachusetts,” On Air with Mirick O’Connell legal podcast (June 11, 2020)
- “Update on COVID-19 Workplace Health and Safety Enforcement by OSHA and the Massachusetts Attorney General,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, May 22, 2020
Professional / Community Affiliations
- Worcester County Bar Association
Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave – Benefits Extended
As employers know, in May 2021, Massachusetts passed a law, “An Act providing for Massachusetts COVID-19 emergency paid sick leave,” which requires employers to provide employees up to 40 hours of paid leave for reasons related to the effects of …
[ load webpage to read more ]EEOC Recognizes “Long COVID” as a Disability
Last week, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (the “EEOC”) formally recognized that “long COVID” may be a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. “Long COVID” occurs when an individual had COVID-19 and continues to suffer from a …
[ load webpage to read more ]What Employers Need to Know About President Biden’s “Path Out of the Pandemic” COVID-19 Action Plan
Last Thursday, President Biden announced a broad sweeping, 6-part COVID-19 Action Plan entitled, “Path Out of the Pandemic” (President Biden’s COVID-19 Plan | The White House) aimed at combatting the spread of COVID-19 and its variants. Below are a few of …
[ load webpage to read more ]COVID-19 and Masks: Updated Guidance from OSHA and Massachusetts
On the heels of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (“CDC”) revised guidance that fully-vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks in many indoor or outdoor settings, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) announced May 17th …
[ load webpage to read more ]US Department of Labor Withdraws Independent Contractor Rule
On May 6, 2021, President Biden’s administration halted implementation of a rule published under the Trump administration which would have made it easier for businesses to classify workers as independent contractors instead of employees. The Trump regulation was supported by …
[ load webpage to read more ]Employer Tax Credits for Employee Paid Leave Due to COVID-19 Applies to Government Entities
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently published guidance defining “Eligible Employer” for purposes of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) tax credits. Under ARPA, certain employers can claim refundable tax credits that reimburse them for the costs of providing …
[ load webpage to read more ]COVID-19 Mandates in the Workplace
As we pass the one year anniversary of the COVID-19 Pandemic, new rules regarding COVID-19 mandates in the workplace are imminent. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) is preparing an Emergency Temporary Standard (the “Emergency Standard”) to better protect …
[ load webpage to read more ]American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the anticipated Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Leave
In lieu of our annual Employment Law Seminar, Mirick O’Connell’s Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits attorneys are hosting a Spring Webinar Series focusing on hot topics in employment law. Attorney Kim Rozak and I presented the second program in the …
[ load webpage to read more ]DOL Publishes Model Notices for COBRA Subsidies
As we previously reported, on March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) into law, which includes a COBRA premium assistance program. Pursuant to ARPA, the Department of Labor (DOL) was instructed to issue model notices …
[ load webpage to read more ]American Rescue Plan Act Contains COBRA Subsidies
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA” or the “Act”) into law. The Act creates a six-month subsidy period, from April 1, 2021 to September 30, 2021, during which individuals who lost health …
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