Commission Reinstates Jobs of Fired Attleboro Workers

The Massachusetts Civil Service Commission has voted in favor of Michael and has ordered the City of Attleboro to reinstate the jobs of the two fired employees. 

In a 94-page decision, Civil Service Commission Chairman Christopher Bowman states Michael Milanoski and Meg Ross are ordered reinstated to their respective positions as the Attleboro Redevelopment Authority's executive director and chief financial officer, retroactively to Nov. 13, 2009, the date they were terminated. The city is ordered to pay full back pay and restoration of all benefits. 

"Mayor [Kevin] Dumas and the ARA Board of Directors acted in bad faith in terminating the appellants," the commission states in its decision. "The overwhelming evidence shows that the actions of the Mayor and the ARA were a pretext to oust Milanoski for reasons unrelated to the basic merit prinicples."

Attorney Colin Confoey, representing the fired employees, said, "What I can tell you is we are very pleased with the outcome. This was the first oppotortunity before an impartial fact finder to have these cases heard. Clearly and unequivocally, the Civil Service Commission found that the ARA violated the law when they terminated Milanoski and Ross’s employment.

"We are hopeful they will comply with the decision in full."

Request for comment were made to Dumas, City Solicitor Robert Mangiaratti, and the City's Director of Budget and Administration, Barry LaCasse.