"Many of these workers testified that they did not accept the graveyard shift jobs because they lived alone in Watertown and Someville, did not drive and would have to have used mass transit, and were afraid of coming in and out of Harvard Square in the middle of the night," Kuntz said.
For all six employees last Friday's hearing represented the third stage in their appeal for back unemployment benefits, which would amount to between $900 and $1000 each.
In Gallagher's case, the first appeal ended when an investigator for the MESD interviewed both her and the Harvard officials who offered her the part-time employment and ruled that Gallagher should not receive the back benefits.
Gallagher then appealed the decision to an MESD hearing officer, who turned down the second appeal last November.
The hearing before the officers of the Board of Review Examiners marks the last step that the employees can take before going into court to contest the University denial of benefits, Kuntz said.
He added that if the workers win this appeal, he did not think the University would appeal that MESD ruling to a court of law