This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.
OKLearn moreWe may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.
Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.
These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.
Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.
We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.
We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.
These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience.
If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here:
We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.
Google Webfont Settings:
Google Map Settings:
Google reCaptcha Settings:
Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:
The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them:
You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.
Privacy Policy
Appeals Court Answers a Question “Left Open” for Forty Years and Decides That School Districts Cannot Withhold Professional Teacher Status from Teachers Who Had Time of Service Interrupted by Protected Leave Once the Teacher Works the Number of Missed School Days to Complete “Three Consecutive Years”
Posted: /in News /by Heather McCarthyOn October 25, 2024, the Massachusetts Appeals Court issued a decision in Chaloff v. Westwood Public Schools, 105 Mass. App. Ct. 13 (2024). The decision reversed a ruling by the Superior Court which denied a claim brought by a teacher who argued that taking parental leave under G.L. c. 149, §105D should not require her […]
Appeals Court Holds That Erroneously Deducted Contributions Cannot Be Considered “Regular Compensation” to Determine an Employee’s Accidental Disability Retirement Allowance
Posted: /in News /by Heather McCarthyOn October 7, 2024 the Massachusetts Appeals Court issued a decision in O’Malley, et al. v. Contributory Retirement Appeal Board, et al., No. 23-P-1147 (2024). That decision affirmed a decision by the Contributory Retirement Appeal Board (“CRAB”), which had denied a claim by two former employees that retirement deductions for certain work they had performed […]
Three VDH Attorneys Named 2024 Massachusetts Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
Posted: /in News /by Heather McCarthyRobert D. Hillman and John Foskett have been named Massachusetts Super Lawyers for 2024 and Jennifer F. King has been named a Massachusetts Rising Star. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. This selection process includes independent research, peer nominations […]
U.S. District Court Grants Summary Judgment for District on Teacher’s Breach of Contract Claim That Her Termination Violated Just Cause Limitation in CBA
Posted: /in News /by Heather McCarthyOn August 28, 2024 the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a decision in Rossman v. Nashoba Regional School District (Civil No. 3:21-cv-40042-KAR). That decision granted a school district’s motion for summary judgment on a claim brought by a teacher without professional teacher status. The teacher asserted that her dismissal breached […]
DC Court of Appeals Concludes Federal Agency’s Enforcement of a Social Media Moderation Policy Prohibiting “Off-Topic” Posts Violated the First Amendment
Posted: /in News /by Heather McCarthyOn July 30, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued a decision in People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals et al. v. Tabak (No. 23-5110), holding that the National Institute of Health’s (“NIH”) implementation of a social media policy prohibiting “off-topic” comments was unconstitutional under the First Amendment. The […]
Massachusetts Federal District Court Weighs in on the Existence of a Duty of Reasonable Care Between a Public School and a Student at Foreseeable Risk of Suicide
Posted: /in News /by Heather McCarthyMassachusetts courts have not hesitated to recognize that public schools owe certain duties to their students. On July 1, 2024, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a decision in Doe v. City of Northampton, No. 23-10358-MGM, adopting a Magistrate Judge’s report and recommendation relative to a Defendant City’s motion to […]
Liz Valerio and Nick Dominello Presented at 2024 MASC Summer Institute
Posted: /in Events, News /by Heather McCarthyOn Friday, July 12th Liz presented at the 2024 Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) Summer Institute. Liz hosted a workshop on preparing for collective bargaining. On Saturday, July 13, 2024 Nick hosted a workshop on challenges in collective bargaining.
First Circuit Affirms Decision Dismissing Free Speech Retaliation Claim by Teacher Based on Pre-Employment Social Media Posts
Posted: /in News /by Heather McCarthyOn June 28, 2024, the United Stated Court of Appeals for the First Circuit issued a decision in MacRae v. Mattos, No. 23-1817, affirming a District Court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of the defendants, Hanover Public Schools (the “District”) and two District administrators who were alleged to have retaliated against a teacher for […]
U.S. Court of Appeals Affirms Denial of Student’s Preliminary Injunction in “There Are Only Two Genders” T-Shirt Case
Posted: /in News /by Heather McCarthyIn June, 2023, the federal District Court for Massachusetts declined to issue a preliminary injunction that had been requested by a student in L.M. v. Town of Middleborough, No. 1:23-cv-11111-IT. The student sought to enjoin the school defendants from enforcing the school dress code to prohibit the student wearing a T-shirt with the message “THERE […]
Appeals Court Clarifies the Three-Stage Burden Shifting Test in Cases Alleging Retaliation in Violation of G.L. Chapter 150E
Posted: /in News /by Heather McCarthyIn City of Newton v. Commonwealth Employment Relations Board (“CERB”), No. 23-P-455 (May 22, 2024), the Appeals Court has clarified the three-stage burden shifting test that applies in a case alleging retaliation for the exercise of protected rights by a union member where the claim relies on circumstantial evidence of the employer’s retaliatory motive. The […]