Fernandes v. Attleboro Housing Auth.

Plaintiff filed an action against his former employer, the Attleboro Housing Authority (AHA), for alleged violations of the Wage Act, claiming (1) the AHA intentionally misclassified his position, thereby failing to pay him the wages to which he was entitled; and (2) the AHA terminated him in retaliation for complaining about the nonpayment of earned wages. The jury rendered a verdict in favor of Plaintiff on both claims and awarded damages against the AHA. The parties then filed numerous posttrial motions, to no avail. The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed, holding (1) the superior court had subject matter jurisdiction over Plaintiff’s claims under the Wage Act; (2) reinstatement to employment is not an available remedy for violations of the Wage Act; and (3) the trial judge did not abuse his discretion in denying Plaintiff’s motion for a new trial on damages or, in the alternative, for additur. View "Fernandes v. Attleboro Housing Auth." on Justia Law