White v. Commissioner of the Department of Employment & Training

This is an appeal by the Department of Employment and Training (DET) from a judgment of the District Court reversing a denial of unemployment benefits to the plaintiff (employee). The employee was denied benefits on the basis of a determination that a lump sum payment to him by his former employer, Digital Equipment Corporation (Digital), was severance pay within the meaning of G. L. c. 151 A, § l(r)(3). Concluding that the lump sum payment was made to the employee in exchange for his release of Digital from any and all claims arising out of his employment and not as severance pay, we affirm…