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10 Massachusetts opinions name it 3 courts 1987–2025 1 in the last five years
The cases below were cited by Massachusetts courts in a sentence that names this issue. Sides come from how each citing opinion treated the case (Syfertize flag on that citation), so a case can appear on both: that is where the law is contested. A red or yellow chip is the case's own overall treatment.
| Case | Followed | Cited |
|---|---|---|
Smith-Pfeffer v. Superintendent of the Walter E. Fernald State Schoolgreen2 sentences2025See Smith- Pfeffer, 404 Mass. at 151 ("internal matters, including internal policies, could not be the basis of a public policy exception to the at-will rule"); Mello v. Stop & Shop Cos., 402 Mass. 555, 558-559 (1988) (no public policy claim where plaintiff told superiors about other employees' false damage and shortage claims against company's warehouse, manufacturers, and suppliers). 2011The public policy exception to the at-will employment rule is not that broad.” Smith-Pfeffer, 404 Mass. at 150 . 3. | 3 | 5 |
Mello v. Stop & Shop Companies, Inc.green2 sentences2025See Smith- Pfeffer, 404 Mass. at 151 ("internal matters, including internal policies, could not be the basis of a public policy exception to the at-will rule"); Mello v. Stop & Shop Cos., 402 Mass. 555, 558-559 (1988) (no public policy claim where plaintiff told superiors about other employees' false damage and shortage claims against company's warehouse, manufacturers, and suppliers). 2012Furthermore, the court noted that “Wright’s report was an internal matter, and ‘[ijntemal matters,’ we have previously said, ‘could not be the basis of a public policy exception to the at-will rule’ ” Id., quoting Smith-Pfeffer at 151 , and citing Mello v. Stop-Shop Cos., 402 Mass. 555 , 561 n.7 (1988). | 2 | 4 |
Wright v. Shriners Hospital for Crippled Childrengreen2 sentences2012Furthermore, the court noted that “Wright’s report was an internal matter, and ‘[ijntemal matters,’ we have previously said, ‘could not be the basis of a public policy exception to the at-will rule’ ” Id., quoting Smith-Pfeffer at 151 , and citing Mello v. Stop-Shop Cos., 402 Mass. 555 , 561 n.7 (1988). 1996The public policy exception to the at-will rule is not extended to protect employees performing “appropriate, socially desirable duties.” Wright v. Shriners Hosp. for Crippled Children, supra at 475 (1992), quoting SmithPfeffer v. Superintendent of the Walter E. | 1 | 2 |
King v. Driscollgreen1 sentence2004King v. Driscoll, 418 Mass. 576, 583 (1994) (stating “internal administration, policy, functioning, and other matters of an organization cannot be the basis for a public policy exception” to general at-will rule). | 1 | 1 |
Maddaloni v. Western Mass. Bus Lines, Inc.green1 sentence1987See Fortune v. National Cash Register Co., 373 Mass. at 104-105 ; Maddaloni v. Western Mass. Bus Lines, Inc., 386 Mass. 877, 881-884 (1982). | 1 | 1 |
Fortune v. National Cash Register Co.green1 sentence1987See Fortune v. National Cash Register Co., 373 Mass. at 104-105 ; Maddaloni v. Western Mass. Bus Lines, Inc., 386 Mass. 877, 881-884 (1982). | 1 | 1 |
| Case | Negative | Cited |
|---|---|---|
| No negative-treatment citations attached to this issue in Massachusetts. Read the followed side critically anyway. | ||
| Case | Cited | Years |
|---|---|---|
Flesner v. Technical Communications Corp.
green
1 sentence2010In Flesner v. Technical Communications Corp., 410 Mass. 805 (1991), the SJC expanded the public policy doctrine to protect conduct neither expressly prohibited nor expressly required by statute and recognized an exception to the at-will rule for employees fired for cooperating with law enforcement agencies investigating their employers. | 1 | 2010–2010 |
Opinions by the citing court's state. A doctrine retained in one state and abandoned in another shows up here as a year span that stalls.