September 10, 2026

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, the Office for Refugees and Immigrants and the Attorney General’s Office have issued guidance to assist employers in complying with the new state law regarding I-9 inspections.  Under the law, all Massachusetts employers are required to inform each of their employees in writing of any upcoming I-9 inspections by ICE within 48 hours of receiving a Notice of Inspection from ICE. The guidance includes background information on the new law as well as a sample notice to aid you with compliance. 

Message from the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA)

Hi Retailers – Hope this finds you well. We have completed mailing all chip/tap EBT cards to clients statewide. We are now focused on increasing the number of clients who use their card in stores. It is very important for clients to do this as soon as possible. If clients have not used their new chip/tap EBT card within 60 days of receiving it, their previous non-chip card will be automatically deactivated, preventing them from using their benefits. We want to avoid issues or delays at the cash register associated with this.
 
If you can accept a chip/tap EBT card, whether it’s via insert/tap/swipe, please post our signage in your store as soon as possible. We suggest putting them on your entrance doors and at the cash register. You can also use them in any digital content your store publishes. This will be a visual reminder about the new chip/tap cards, and we hope will prompt clients to use their new card.
 
All signage is available here on our website: https://www.mass.gov/lists/massachusetts-dta-ebt-card-information-resources-for-retailers#retailer-signage-. All signage has been translated into Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, and Simplified Chinese.
 
Thank you,
Department of Transitional Assistance

Learn about RAM’s Retirement Plan Solution

Please join us for a webinar on September 24th to learn more about TAX CREDITS and the advantages of our Multiple Employer 401k Plan. 

There has never been a better time to start a retirement plan! The federal government recognizes citizens have not saved nearly enough to produce a comfortable retirement and have recently rolled out tremendous TAX CREDITS to help employers provide access to retirement savings vehicles, like 401k's.

With the passage of recent legislation via the "Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement" (SECURE) Act, more employers are gaining access and seeing advantages in the pooled plan space. These arrangements are providing unique opportunities for employers to reduce the amount of time they are spending on plan administration & simultaneously save SIGNIFICANTLY on the costs they are spending on their current 401(k) plan.

RAM wants to help provide these advantages to you! We have rolled out a Multiple Employer 401(k) Plan to simplify the process of offering a 401(k) plan to your employees. Standard single 401(k) plans have been around for a long time. Our goal is to provide a powerful alternative for members that want to decrease the amount of time they spend on administration, remove fiduciary liability, eliminate the costly annual 401(k) audit, and lower costs.
 

Register For the RAM Multiple Employer 401(k) Webinar

Guest Article by Robert Rio

Shock to the System: The $300 Billion Price Tag to Electrify Massachusetts Homes

This summer, I wrote about the Commonwealth’s history of struggling to manage electricity costs. In part 2, I tackle how much electrification and decommissioning our natural gas system could cost us.

Anyone who owns a home has probably remodeled it or considered remodeling it over the years. Maybe update that old kitchen or add a family room.

My wife and I have. Normally, the process starts with meeting a builder to understand the scope of work and develop a budget. At this point, cost is not a limiting factor. Obviously, we need those imported fixtures for the new kitchen and the custom storage and the wet bar for the family room. That weirdly photogenic couple on TV who remodel an entire house in a weekend said so.

That’s usually when reality sets in.

Click here to keep reading

MAKE YOUR RAMAE NOMINATIONS NOW

There is no limit to the number of businesses you can nominate.  So CLICK HERE to nominate your business and all those you love as well. There are so many incredible retail stores and restaurants in MA who could be deserving of this recognition.  Help us find our 2026 winners!
 

You do not need to be a RAM member to nominate or to win.
 

The Retail Doctor: Bob Phibbs to Keynote RAMAE Awards Luncheon

Bob Phibbs, known as the Retail Doctor, has spent more than thirty years helping retailers, manufacturers, and hospitality brands sell more. He founded The Retail Doctor in 1994 after rising from the sales floor to corporate officer, franchisor, and entrepreneur.

Today he trains sales teams, keynotes retail conferences worldwide, and shows brick-and-mortar stores how to turn browsers into buyers. Visit him at RetailDoc.com

During his presentation, you'll discover how to engage your customers, make bigger sales, and earn the profits you seek. You'll be inspired to upgrade the way you do business. Bob will provide insight into: creative ways to reinvent your customer experience;  how to increase your value through people, not price; and how to attract and train employees.
 

For more information and to register for the luncheon, click here.