New England Biz Law Update
Defining exactly what, if any, right to privacy employees enjoy is something the U.S. Supreme Court has been hesitant to do.
Tagged with: Nov. 2010 issue
Read More »Home / News (page 84) /
Shared-office arrangement leads to harassment claim
An employee who had to share a small office with a supervisor who allegedly refused to respect her personal space could later sue the supervisor for creating a hostile work environment, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled.
Tagged with: Nov. 2010 issue
Read More »Accidental ‘reply all’ e-mail is privileged document
Massachusetts Superior Court judge in the Business Litigation Session has found that a damaging e-mail a defendant inadvertently forwarded to opposing counsel was privileged and should therefore be stricken from the case.
Tagged with: Nov. 2010 issue
Read More »Enforcement power of MCAD at stake in bias case
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is slated to decide whether employers can use arbitration provisions in hiring contracts to prevent employees from filing bias claims with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Tagged with: Nov. 2010 issue
Read More »Supreme Court mulls ‘cat’s paw’ discrimination case
In the 17th century, writer Jean de La Fontaine penned a fable about a clever monkey who persuaded a cat to fetch chestnuts from a hot fire. The cat’s paws got burned, but the monkey got what he wanted: fresh ...
Tagged with: Nov. 2010 issue
Read More »Court: ‘evergreen’ clause in CBA can’t be enforced
By Christina Pazzanese and Thomas E. Egan The parties to a municipal collective bargaining agreement could not include an “evergreen” clause purporting to continue the terms of the CBA during the period of negotiations for a successor agreement, the Massachusetts Supreme ...
Tagged with: Nov. 2010 issue
Read More »E-discovery decision provides lessons about sanctions for spoilation
A recent e-discovery decision provides important lessons for lawyers and companies about spoliation sanctions.
Tagged with: Nov. 2010 issue
Read More »Future of non-compete legislation up in the air
A controversial non-compete bill that was gaining considerable steam in Massachusetts after it advanced out of a House committee last session was quietly dropped from the state’s recently enacted economic development law.
Tagged with: Nov. 2010 issue
Read More »SEC complaints raising concerns about relying on in-house counsel
Recent action taken by the Securities and Exchange Commission against two Massachusetts individuals has in-house counsel and workers alike wondering whether there are limits to the extent employees can rely on their company’s attorneys. In September, the SEC filed a ...
Tagged with: investment fraud SEC
Read More »Reaction mixed on SEC’s new proxy access rule
A controversial decision by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission requiring companies to give their shareholders a greater voice in the boardroom is drawing mixed reviews from corporate lawyers who say it is unclear whether the move will deliver on a promised corporate power shift or level the playing field, which some hope and others fear.
Read More »
