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First Circuit Holds That Parent Has No First Amendment Right to Record Child’s IEP Team Meeting

On January 4, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit issued a decision in Pitta v. Medeiros, No. 23-1513, affirming the dismissal of a parent’s claim that a Massachusetts school district (“the District”) and its Administrator for Special Education violated his First Amendment rights when they refused his request to video […]

VDH Announces New Elevations

Valerio Dominello & Hillman, LLC is pleased to announce that effective January 1, 2024, attorneys Jennifer King, Eric McKenna, and Ann Marie Noonan have become Equity Members in the firm.                          Jennifer King                        […]

Liz Valerio To Present at the MMA Annual Meeting Workshop Series

On Friday, January 19, 2024 Liz will present at the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) Annual Meeting. Liz will be hosting a collective bargaining workshop for the Massachusetts Municipal Human Resources (MMHR) on responding to grievances and navigating arbitration. For more information, please click here.

Rob Hillman to Present at MMA Newly Elected Training

Rob Hillman will present at the Massachusetts Municipal Councillors’ Association (MMA) Newly Elected Training on Saturday, December 9, 2023. Rob will be presenting on general guidelines for council rules and code of conduct. For more information, please click here.

Nick Dominello To Present at 2023 Massachusetts Council of School Attorneys (“COSA”) Annual Conference

On Friday, December 8, 2023 Nick will present at the COSA Annual Conference at the UMass Club in Boston. Nick will discuss updates and trends in collective bargaining. For more information, please click here.

NLRB Broadens Standard for Determining Joint-Employer Status

On October 27, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) published a final rule that changed the standard for determining whether two or more entities may be classified as joint-employers for purposes of the National Labor Relations Act. The final rule broadened the standard to include more employers than would have previously been classified as […]

Court Dismisses First Amendment Claim by Teacher Who Was Fired for Pre-Employment Social Media Activity

On September 25, 2023, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a decision in MacRae v. Mattos, No. 21-cv-11917-DJC, granting summary judgment in favor of the Hanover Public Schools (the “District”) and two District administrators who were alleged to have retaliated against a teacher for exercising her First Amendment rights when […]

Three VDH Attorneys Named 2023 Massachusetts Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

Robert D. Hillman and John Foskett have been named Massachusetts Super Lawyers for 2023 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 […]

Employer Engaged in Unlawful Discrimination by Refusing to Excuse an Employee From Overtime

On September 21, 2023, the Massachusetts Appeals Court issued a decision in Tufts Medical Center v. Dalexis, No. 22-P-15, which affirmed a Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (“MCAD”) decision holding that Tufts Medical Center (“Tufts”) engaged in unlawful discrimination on the basis of disability by refusing to excuse an inpatient nurse from overtime. Dalexis worked as […]

NLRB Holds that Worker Advocacy for Non-Employees is Protected by Labor Law

On August 26, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) issued a decision and order in American Federation for Children, Inc and Sarah Rayborn, 28-CA-246878 and 28-CA-262471, holding that an employee who elicited support from her colleagues for an ex-employee had engaged in action protected by the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”). In doing so, […]