News
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane Attorneys Present Webinar for CCHRA
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP was honored to present the labor and employment update for the Cape Cod Human Resources Association again this year, the only difference this year was it was presented via webinar. Attorneys Kier Wachterhauser, Nan O’Neill, and Sarah Spatafore presented in the webinar titled “Select Legal Issues Facing Employers in the COVID-19 Climate”, and touched on several reopening topics including the Four-Phase approach, OSHA, EEOC, Unemployment compensation and more. They also discussed the differences between Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSLA) and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA), both of which are under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Our attorneys defined the reasons for these acts, and how they intersect with each other. They ended the webinar with providing some return to work considerations. They took the time to pose questions for what an employer should or should not say to their returning employees. These few considerations provide a helpful guideline to any small to midsize business employer on how to conduct their business during this pandemic.
The Cape Cod Human Resources Association was founded in 1984. CCHRA is comprised of HR professionals representing such industries as finance, education, health care, manufacturing, retail, human services, and professional services. Currently CCHRA represents over 50 companies throughout the Cape Cod region.
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Partner Prevails in U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
Attorney Felicia Vasudevan, a partner at Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP, received a favorable decision on behalf of her client, Marshfield Public Schools. The Plaintiff appealed the district court’s judgement that upheld a decision of the Massachusetts Bureau of Special Education Appeals (“BSEA”). However, as the notice was filed more than 30 days after entry, the First Circuit ultimately dismissed the appeal for being untimely. The Plaintiff also appealed the district court’s order, denying her motion to vacate. Read More
New Features of Public Participation at School Committee Meetings
Following our Alert from March 16, 2023, Civility is Dead – The Supreme Court Rules Municipal Control of Public Speak Limited to Reasonable Time/Place/Manner Restrictions, which discussed the holding to the Supreme Judicial Court’s decision in Barron v. Kolenda and the Town of Southborough (SJC-13284), we promised to bring you more detailed guidance on developing a Public Speak policy for your public body or municipality. The Barron case involved a constitutional challenge to the Town of Southborough’s public comment policy, which attempted to impose a code of civility on members of the public who participated in public comment before public bodies. In Barron, the court interpreted the state constitution to mean that public bodies may request, but not require, that public commentators be respectful and courteous. Instead, a public body may set restrictions on reasonable time, place, and manner comments to ensure that the meeting retains an orderly and peaceable manner.
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