Arbitration, public employee, public policy, union issues, collective bargaining.

Officials at the Massachusetts Highway Department appeal a lower court's ruling concerning the status of a dismissed employee. The department dismissed the employee one year after a loaded handgun was discovered in his toolbox. The department's policy clearly articulated a prohibition on firearms in the workplace. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 93, the employee's union, filed a grievance on the employee's behalf, because the department waited a full year to dismiss the employee. The matter was submitted for arbitration. Upon review, the arbitrator ordered the employee reinstated. The department filed suit to block the arbitrator's ruling.

A superior court affirmed the arbitrator's ruling in the case. Authorities at the highway department now appeal.

The wins. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts affirmed the lower court's ruling.