Massachusetts Teacher Discriminated Against for Parental Leave

A Massachusetts town discriminated against a teacher for taking parental leave and improperly fired her, the state Appeals Court ruled Friday in a rare reversal of an arbitration award.

Decisions related to collective bargaining disagreements are typically accorded deference, but a panel of Massachusetts Appeals Court justices reversed the award in favor of Westwood Public Schools since teacher Pauline Chaloff took protected leave.

“While a teacher invoking protected leave may create challenges for school officials concerned with classroom continuity and timely evaluations, administrative convenience cannot trump the statutory right to take parental leave, nor is convenience a particularly compelling excuse ...