Request #2021-2015 (Framingham, MA - Human Resources)

Request for public records made to City of Framingham by Frank Wood.

Agency
City of Framingham
Summary
Seeking all emails sent or received by Delores Hamilton or Maritsa Barros  which contain any of the following phrases, "Diversity in Hiring", "Policy 44", and/or "Policy Number". Dates to search 9/1/2020 to 10/1/2021. Attached please find the responsive documents for your request. Please note the following: Redacted: 1 email-chain containing both Medical and Personnel information under: Exemption (c) personnel and medical files or information; also any other materials or data relating to a specifically named individual, the disclosure of which may constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy G. L. c. 4, § 7(26)(c). The privacy exemption is made up of two separate clauses, the first of which exempts personnel and medical files. As a general rule, medical information will always be of a sufficiently personal nature to warrant exemption. The second clause of the privacy exemption applies to requests for records that implicate privacy interests. Its application is limited to “intimate details of a highly personal nature” such as marital status, paternity, substance abuse, government assistance, family disputes and reputation.   Redacted: 1 email containing Identification Numbers and Passwords under: Exemption (b) related solely to internal personnel rules and practices of the government unit, provided however, that such records shall be withheld only to the extent that proper performance of necessary governmental functions requires such withholding G. L. c. 4, § 7(26)(b). The proper performance of necessary City functions will be inhibited by disclosure.   Withheld: 3 individual emails (each with a corresponding policy attachment) as Personnel Records under: Exemption (c) personnel and medical files or information; also any other materials or data relating to a specifically named individual, the disclosure of which may constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy G. L. c. 4, § 7(26)(c). Withholding serves to protect the City’s ability to function effectively as an employer and release of certain personnel information could disrupt the City’s capability to conduct sensitive and careful investigations regarding employees. Personnel information that is useful in making employment decisions regarding an employee is sufficiently personal to be exempt pursuant to the first clause. Such information includes employment applications, employee work evaluations, disciplinary documentation, and promotion, demotion, or termination information. The subject matters and details of the withheld emails include, but are not limited to, advisement or the confirmation of, Bridging of Service, CBAs, disciplinary action including termination, vacation accruals, longevity, wages and stipends, comp-time, etc., in relation to specifically identified individuals and their personnel files, which falls under the above exemption.   Withheld: 1 email-chain with 2 attachments, and 1 email with 1 attachment, as Drafts for future meeting(s) and on-going Union CBA negotiations under: Exemption (d) – The Deliberative Process Exemption inter-agency or intra-agency memoranda or letters relating to policy positions being developed by the agency; but this subclause shall not apply to reasonably completed factual studies or reports on which the development of such policy positions has been or may be based G. L. c. 4, § 7(26)(d). The exemption is intended to avoid release of materials that could taint the deliberative process if prematurely disclosed such as recommendations on legal and policy matters found within an ongoing deliberative process.   In addition, two (2) email communications with the City Solicitor’s Office have been withheld, under the common law attorney-client privileged recognized in Suffolk Construction v. DCAM, 449 Mass. 444 (2007), which were made in confidence between the City and its counsel for the purposes of seeking/giving legal advice.   The response below is made to provide “a detailed description of the attorney-client privileged records, including the names of the authors and recipients of the advice; the date of the communication; the substance of the record; and the grounds upon which the attorney-client privilege is being claimed.”   The following information is provided regarding the responsive records to PRR 2021-2015: Date(s) Author(s) Recipient(s) Substance Grounds for Privilege Email chain – 01/27/2021 – 04/29/2021 (2 emails) Dolores Hamilton, Human Resources Director (DH) Christopher Petrini - City Solicitor, City of Framingham (CP), Christopher Brown, Attorney - City Solicitor’s Office (CB), Susan Embree – Administrative Assistant & Records Access Officer (SE) Seeking legal advice regarding employment reference checks Communication between attorney and client made in confidence for purposes of seeking/giving legal advice for which the privilege has not been waived   Email – 05/18/2021 Dolores Hamilton, Human Resources Director (DH) Christopher Petrini - City Solicitor, City of Framingham (CP), Christopher Brown, Attorney - City Solicitor’s Office (CB) Seeking legal advice regarding an internal investigation Communication between attorney and client made in confidence for purposes of giving legal advice for which the privilege has not been waived You have a right to appeal this response to the Supervisor of Public Records pursuant to G.L. c. 66, §10A(a) or to file an action in Superior Court pursuant to G.L. c. 66, §10A(c). The balance of the responsive emails, including all of their attachments, are provided in this request.
Request Date
2021-11-05
Agency Tracking
2021-2015
Acquisition Notes
This record was automatically imported from https://www.townforms.com/FOIADirect-FraminghamMACitizens/
Status
Fulfilled
Requester
Frank Wood
Documents
Original Source

This record is part of the StateReference Public Records Requests collection. This is a public records request to a state agency or municipality.

This record was originally posted at https://www.townforms.com/FOIADirect-FraminghamMACitizens/.

Please note: We applied optical character recognition (OCR) to this document in order to make the text searchable. Learn More.
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Request #2021-2015 (Framingham, MA - Human Resources)

Request for public records made to City of Framingham by Frank Wood.

Agency
City of Framingham
Summary
Seeking all emails sent or received by Delores Hamilton or Maritsa Barros  which contain any of the following phrases, "Diversity in Hiring", "Policy 44", and/or "Policy Number". Dates to search 9/1/2020 to 10/1/2021. Attached please find the responsive documents for your request. Please note the following: Redacted: 1 email-chain containing both Medical and Personnel information under: Exemption (c) personnel and medical files or information; also any other materials or data relating to a specifically named individual, the disclosure of which may constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy G. L. c. 4, § 7(26)(c). The privacy exemption is made up of two separate clauses, the first of which exempts personnel and medical files. As a general rule, medical information will always be of a sufficiently personal nature to warrant exemption. The second clause of the privacy exemption applies to requests for records that implicate privacy interests. Its application is limited to “intimate details of a highly personal nature” such as marital status, paternity, substance abuse, government assistance, family disputes and reputation.   Redacted: 1 email containing Identification Numbers and Passwords under: Exemption (b) related solely to internal personnel rules and practices of the government unit, provided however, that such records shall be withheld only to the extent that proper performance of necessary governmental functions requires such withholding G. L. c. 4, § 7(26)(b). The proper performance of necessary City functions will be inhibited by disclosure.   Withheld: 3 individual emails (each with a corresponding policy attachment) as Personnel Records under: Exemption (c) personnel and medical files or information; also any other materials or data relating to a specifically named individual, the disclosure of which may constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy G. L. c. 4, § 7(26)(c). Withholding serves to protect the City’s ability to function effectively as an employer and release of certain personnel information could disrupt the City’s capability to conduct sensitive and careful investigations regarding employees. Personnel information that is useful in making employment decisions regarding an employee is sufficiently personal to be exempt pursuant to the first clause. Such information includes employment applications, employee work evaluations, disciplinary documentation, and promotion, demotion, or termination information. The subject matters and details of the withheld emails include, but are not limited to, advisement or the confirmation of, Bridging of Service, CBAs, disciplinary action including termination, vacation accruals, longevity, wages and stipends, comp-time, etc., in relation to specifically identified individuals and their personnel files, which falls under the above exemption.   Withheld: 1 email-chain with 2 attachments, and 1 email with 1 attachment, as Drafts for future meeting(s) and on-going Union CBA negotiations under: Exemption (d) – The Deliberative Process Exemption inter-agency or intra-agency memoranda or letters relating to policy positions being developed by the agency; but this subclause shall not apply to reasonably completed factual studies or reports on which the development of such policy positions has been or may be based G. L. c. 4, § 7(26)(d). The exemption is intended to avoid release of materials that could taint the deliberative process if prematurely disclosed such as recommendations on legal and policy matters found within an ongoing deliberative process.   In addition, two (2) email communications with the City Solicitor’s Office have been withheld, under the common law attorney-client privileged recognized in Suffolk Construction v. DCAM, 449 Mass. 444 (2007), which were made in confidence between the City and its counsel for the purposes of seeking/giving legal advice.   The response below is made to provide “a detailed description of the attorney-client privileged records, including the names of the authors and recipients of the advice; the date of the communication; the substance of the record; and the grounds upon which the attorney-client privilege is being claimed.”   The following information is provided regarding the responsive records to PRR 2021-2015: Date(s) Author(s) Recipient(s) Substance Grounds for Privilege Email chain – 01/27/2021 – 04/29/2021 (2 emails) Dolores Hamilton, Human Resources Director (DH) Christopher Petrini - City Solicitor, City of Framingham (CP), Christopher Brown, Attorney - City Solicitor’s Office (CB), Susan Embree – Administrative Assistant & Records Access Officer (SE) Seeking legal advice regarding employment reference checks Communication between attorney and client made in confidence for purposes of seeking/giving legal advice for which the privilege has not been waived   Email – 05/18/2021 Dolores Hamilton, Human Resources Director (DH) Christopher Petrini - City Solicitor, City of Framingham (CP), Christopher Brown, Attorney - City Solicitor’s Office (CB) Seeking legal advice regarding an internal investigation Communication between attorney and client made in confidence for purposes of giving legal advice for which the privilege has not been waived You have a right to appeal this response to the Supervisor of Public Records pursuant to G.L. c. 66, §10A(a) or to file an action in Superior Court pursuant to G.L. c. 66, §10A(c). The balance of the responsive emails, including all of their attachments, are provided in this request.
Request Date
2021-11-05
Agency Tracking
2021-2015
Acquisition Notes
This record was automatically imported from https://www.townforms.com/FOIADirect-FraminghamMACitizens/
Status
Fulfilled
Requester
Frank Wood
Documents
Original Source

This record is part of the StateReference Public Records Requests collection. This is a public records request to a state agency or municipality.

This record was originally posted at https://www.townforms.com/FOIADirect-FraminghamMACitizens/.