School districts usually deny requests to view school video recordings, such as security tapes, in light of concerns about the privacy rights of students featured on these recordings. In a recent decision, the Freedom of...more
11/13/2014
/ Disclosure ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
FOIA ,
FOIC ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Media ,
Privacy Laws ,
Public Schools ,
School Districts ,
Students ,
Video Recordings
This author wrote previously on the status of sexual harassment investigations under the Freedom of Information Act [”FOIA”]. In a case that has grabbed some notoriety; the Freedom of Information Commission [“FOIC”] has...more
LR-hands-over-laptopkeysIt has come to our attention that certain school districts in Connecticut have already received requests under the Freedom of Information Act [“FOIA”] for access to overall district and school level...more
It has come to our attention that certain school districts in Connecticut have already received requests under the Freedom of Information Act [“FOIA”] for access to overall district and school level summative ratings of all...more
Police reports are a practical tool for school districts in investigating (and countering) both student and employee misconduct. The Connecticut Supreme Court has resolved an intense debate about what law enforcement...more
It is worth remembering that when determining if someone is a resident of your school district, the fact that someone may not actually be a legal resident of this nation is irrelevant. In order to underscore this fact, the...more
Investigations in the public sector confront the competing demands of employee privacy rights and the public’s “right to know” under the Freedom of Information Act [“FOIA”]. Another decision by the Freedom of Information...more
9/23/2014
/ Disclosure Requirements ,
Discrimination ,
Due Process ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
FOIA ,
Harassment ,
Internal Investigations ,
Invasion of Privacy ,
Law Enforcement ,
Personnel Records ,
Public Entities
Public agencies often secure opinions from legal counsel to guide their actions. However, these agencies should be aware that what they say in public about the advice given may jeopardize the confidentiality of the legal...more
A typical part of a contentious employment termination matter is the inevitable unemployment compensation claim. While a multiplicity of claims may emanate from the ugliness of job separation, the Connecticut courts...more
This Alert is intended to give a general explanation of 2014 legislative enactments of the Connecticut General Assembly that may impact your board of education policies. For more detailed and individualized assistance with...more
The Connecticut Supreme Court has resolved an intense debate about what law enforcement agencies are required to release with regard to arrest records and associated reports. This decision could affect the ability of school...more
In This Issue:
- Interpreters Standards For Students With Hearing Impairments
- Preschool And DCF
- Health Assessment Forms for Use by Youth Camps and Day Care Providers
- English Language Learner...more
It seems sensible for an employer to have a nepotism policy restricting the circumstances where an employee may supervise a family member (or make employment decisions such as compensation, discipline, evaluation, or...more
As anyone reading the newspapers can observe, Connecticut charter schools are receiving some unwanted attention these days due to: 1) a myriad of issues involving a charter school management company; and 2) virulent attacks...more
When entering into contacts with vendors, school districts hope that 1) the vendor will comply with the law, and 2) in any event, the vendor will be responsible for its own employment-related disputes. In Varley v. Regional...more
On June 7th, 2014, I had the good fortune of being the guest on Focus on Connecticut, which is a weekly, half-hour public affairs show on “News 12 Connecticut.” The show is hosted by Tom Appleby, a veteran news journalist in...more
Lawyers like to believe that arbitration decisions concerning employee discipline should be made in accordance with the law and the applicable collective bargaining agreement, not solely by an arbitrator’s personal notions of...more
The situation that is at the epicenter of a recent controversy involving a Pier 1 employee, and a recent Connecticut federal court case, arises in the context of a pregnant employee being unable to carry out essential job...more
Employers who have been through an investigation by the Connecticut Department of Labor Wage & Workplace Standards Division unfortunately have intimate knowledge of the potential burdens of defending against employee wage...more
Generally speaking, from a legal standpoint, the courts have held that colleges and universities do not have a duty to safeguard the safety of their students. However, in Wager v. Moore, 2013 WL 6989512 (Conn. Super. Dec....more
Often times, I will warn school board members against the use of e-mail to conduct board business. My primary concern is that such e-mails could be deemed to constitute an illegal un-noticed/non-public meeting, in violation...more
The 2014 session of the Connecticut General Assembly has just concluded. The following is a cursory description of bills that were passed by the General Assembly that may be of interest. A more detailed summary of these...more
When evaluating superintendents of schools, school boards usually seek to synthesize the views of individual board members into a collective voice for the board. In Toensing v. Chairman, All Boards Chairs Committee, Regional...more
On April 23, 2014, the Connecticut Senate approved Senate Bill No. 317, “An Act Concerning Employee Privacy.” This bill would generally prohibit employers from requiring employees (or job applicants) to provide passwords or...more
Connecticut’s unemployment compensation statutes disqualify individuals from eligibility for benefits for certain misconduct, such as “willful misconduct in the course of employment.” A recent court case notes that the...more