Opinion ID: 1550523
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Exceptions for Certain Personnel Records

Text: First, the Act provides an exception to disclosure for records designated confidential by statute. 1 M.R.S.A. § 402(3)(A) (1979). The University argues that 5 M.R. S.A. § 7070 (Pamph.1988), which protects certain personnel records of public employees, contains two exceptions to the rule of public disclosure applicable to the settlement agreement. We conclude that one of these exceptions does indeed protect one sentence of the agreement from disclosure, but reject the applicability of the other exception. Section 7070(2)(A) provides an exception to disclosure for public employee personnel records containing [m]edical information of any kind, including information pertaining to diagnosis or treatment of mental or emotional disorders.... This statutory exception protecting medical information of any kind is broadly drawn. Indeed, it would be difficult to draft the exception any more broadly. Even with the rule of strict construction that we must apply to exceptions to the Freedom of Access Act, we conclude that, when a document objectively viewed describes expressly or by clear implication aspects of an employee's medical condition or medical treatment, it contains medical information within the meaning of the statutory exception. Applying these principles to the settlement agreement here at issue, we conclude that the second sentence of paragraph 3 contains such medical information and that section 7070(2)(A) protects that part of the agreement from disclosure. The sentence must therefore be excised from the public record made available to Gannett. See Wiggins v. McDevitt, 473 A.2d 420, 422 (Me.1984). The other personnel records exception that the University asserts is set forth in 5 M.R.S.A. § 7070(2)(E). That section preserves the confidentiality of [c]omplaints, charges or accusations of misconduct, replies to those complaints, charges or accusations and any other information or materials that may result in disciplinary action. If disciplinary action is taken, the final written decision relating to that action shall no longer be confidential after it is completed.... In contrast to the broadly drawn exception for medical information, section 7070(2)(E) is narrowly drawn. The University contends that paragraphs 3 and 5 of the agreement contain information pertaining to misconduct. However, the statute does not protect all information pertaining to misconduct. Standing alone these paragraphs cannot be said to contain any complaint, charge, or accusation of misconduct, reply thereto, or information that may result in disciplinary action. The Superior Court properly determined that no part of the settlement agreement was protected from disclosure by section 7070(2)(E).