MBTA Forced To Rehire Some Fired Employees

Arbitrators have forced the MBTA to rehire several employees who were fired for reasons including drug use and child rape.

The Boston Herald reports that the seven employees the T has rehired out of 22 arbitration cases since 2009 all had their dismissals overturned on technicalities.

Among them, a subway operator who tested positive for cocaine after being caught dozing behind the controls and was awarded her job back by an arbitrator who said the T violated her right to privacy by ordering a drug test.

In another case, a bus driver fired over his 1987 child rape conviction got his job back when the arbitrator ruled that the MBTA knew about his record when he was hired in 2000 and before a 2004 rule change banned convicted sex offenders.