Dedham-Westwood Water District v. National Union Fire Insurance

This case involved a dispute over whether an employer had to turn over internal investigation documents during a legal proceeding. Travelers Insurance wanted Shield Packaging Company to produce investigative reports and interview notes that the company had created, likely related to a workplace incident or employment matter. The court decided that Shield Packaging did not have to hand over these documents. The judge ruled that the investigative reports and interview memoranda were protected by attorney-client privilege and work product doctrine. This means the documents were either communications between the company and its lawyers, or materials prepared in anticipation of potential litigation, which the law keeps confidential. For workers, this ruling highlights an important reality about workplace investigations. When employers conduct internal investigations - especially those involving potential legal issues - the documents they create may be protected from disclosure, even during court cases. This means that if workers are involved in workplace disputes or investigations, they may not be able to access all the materials their employer collected. Workers should understand that companies often structure their investigations to maximize legal protections for the documents they create.