Wrongful Termination

Massachusetts Appeals Court Refuses to Expand Exceptions to At-Will Employment Rule

Once again, Massachusetts courts have refused to expand exceptions to the state’s general rule that employers can terminate employees whenever they see fit. This time, though, it was a closer … more →

Court Award of 3X Wage Damages to Former Employee is a Warning for Employers

In a decision that sounds a warning to employers, the Massachusetts Court of Appeals recently concluded that triple damages under the Wage Act may be awardable even to former employees. … more →

Court Ruling Illustrates the Dangers Presented by a Poorly Drafted Employment Manual

In a case that illustrates the dangers employers face from poorly drafted employment manuals and from manuals that give a too many rights to their employees, a U.S. District Court … more →

Massachusetts Law Continues to Protect against Gender Identity Discrimination Despite Federal Pronouncment

When Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently announced that his Justice Department rejects the idea that transgender people are protected under Title VII, the federal workplace discrimination statute, it received quick … more →

Employees may be Free to Speak their Minds, but Employers are Free to React

Free speech is not always free. That seemingly obvious point was apparently lost on Google employee James Damore, a man making headlines recently after he was fired for writing a … more →

Reasonable Accommodation Laws Apply to Use of Medical Marijuana in Massachusetts

If there was any doubt that employers need to be careful about disciplining employees who use medical marijuana, it was ended today by the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC). It held … more →

Court Holds Individual Supervisor Liable under Family and Medical Leave Act

In a case of first impression in Massachusetts, a federal judge ruled that individual supervisors can be personally liable to employees for violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act. … more →

MCAD Decision: Employer Duty to Reasonably Accommodate Handicapped Employees is Extremely Broad

In the usual case, employers that receive reasonable accommodation requests from their employees try to help. They may adjust a work schedule, grant a leave of absence, or even modify … more →

Marijuana Use Rights Arise in Employment Situations

With the enactment of two marijuana laws in Massachusetts during the past few years, there’s never been much doubt that use of it would someday become a workplace issue. Now, … more →

EEOC Working on New Anti-Harassment Guidance

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is currently working on new guidance to help analyze and decide claims involving harassment in the workplace. The new rules promise to bolster enforcement … more →