>> Braude: TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON," EMERGENCY ROOMS ACROSS THE STATE ARE AT THEIR BREAKING POINT AS WE HEAD INTO THE WINTER MONTHS, AND NO, IT'S NOT COVID BEHIND THE "UNPRECEDENTED" CRISIS.

THREE EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS JOIN ME.

THEN LATER, SHANNON LISS-RIORDAN, THE LAWYER BEHIND A FEDERAL CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST TWITTER FOR LAYING OFF NEARLY HALF OF ITS WORKFORCE LAST WEEK, WITH LITTLE TO NO WARNING.

♪ ♪ >> Braude: EMERGENCY ROOMS IN MASSACHUSETTS HAVE BEEN PUSHED TO THEIR LIMITS AND BEYOND SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC, AND AS WE HEAD INTO OUR THIRD WINTER WITH COVID, REDUCED, BUT STILL HERE, WE'RE ALREADY SEEING HOSPITALS MORE OVERRUN THAN EVER.

THE "BOSTON GLOBE" REPORTS ON ABSURD WAIT TIMES FOR A BED; EIGHT HOURS IN ONE CASE, EVEN MORE IN OTHERS, AND A JUMP IN PATIENTS LEAVING WITHOUT THE CARE THEY NEED, CITING A RECENT NATIONAL STUDY WHICH FOUND THE RATE OF SUCH CASES "NEARLY DOUBLED FROM ONE TO ABOUT 2% BETWEEN 2017 AND THE END OF 2021, PUTTING [PATIENTS] AT RISK FOR EVEN MORE SEVERE ILLNESS."

ONE HOSPITAL OFFICIAL, WHO'S WORKED IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS, TOLD THE "GLOBE" THESE CONDITIONS ARE "UNPRECEDENTED IN [HIS] CAREER."

VANROOYEN, CHIEF OF ENTERPRISE EMERGENCY MEDICINE AT MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM, WHERE 6% OF PATIENTS COMING FOR EMERGENCY CARE LEFT WITHOUT BEING SEEN OVER THE LAST FOUR MONTHS.

HE IS ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF THE HARVARD HUMANITARIAN INITIATIVE AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY AND A PROFESSOR OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE AT HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL.

DOCTOR LAURA BURKE IS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE AT HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL AND AN ATTENDING EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN AT BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS.

AND DOCTOR JOHN SANTIAGO IS AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN AT BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER, AS WELL AS, OF COURSE, A STATE REPRESENTATIVE FROM BOSTON.

DOCTOR, DOCTOR AND DOCTOR, THANK YOU ALL THREE FOR BEING HERE.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> GREAT TO BE HERE.

>> PLEASURE.

>> Braude: DR. BURKE, I'M I'LL START WITH YOU.

ARE THINGS ANY DIFFERENT AT YOUR PLACE THAN THERE ARE AT MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM?

>> I THINK ONE OF THE ASPECTS OF THIS CRISIS IS IT'S FAIRLY UNIVERSAL.

IT IS NOT JUST IN BOSTON, NOT ANY PARTICULAR HOSPITAL IN BOSTON, NOT UNIQUE TO MASSACHUSETTS, IT'S REALLY SOMETHING WE'RE SEEING NATIONWIDE WHEN WE TALK TO OUR COLLEAGUES.

IT IS SOMETHING PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED BY BUT THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN WARNED FOR DECADES IN FACT, BUT HEALTH CENTERS ARE NOT INCENTIVIZED, WE FOUND WAYS TO MITIGATE BUT WE EXPERIENCE STAFFING SHORTAGES THAT ARE PLAGUING EVERY ER IN THIS CASE.

JUSHED DOCTOR, WITHOUT GETTING CARE -- >> I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER FOR LAST FOUR MONTHS.

IT REALLY VARIES FROM SHIFT TO SHIFT.

YOU KNOW ON THE BUSIEST DAYS, TODAY'S MONDAY, MONDAYS ARE PREDICTABLY HIGH, CROWNING IS HIGH, I'M SURE IT'S HIGH ON THE SUNDAY OVERNIGHT SHIFT BUST I DON'T KNOW FOFD.

OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

>> Braude: DR. IS IT UNIVERSAL HAPPENING AT YOUR PLACE TOO?

>> IT'S ABSOLUTELY UNIVERSAL JIM.

LET ME JUST SAY I'M SURE I SPEAK FOR TWO PHYSICIANS ON THIS CALL AS WELL.

REALLY BEING AN ER DOCTOR IS ONE OF THE PRIVILEGES OF MY LIFE, AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE LENDS INTO THE COMMUNITY WHEN THERE'S A COMMUNITY CRISIS OR SURGE IN VIOLENCE.

WE TAKE CARE OF THIS.

WHEN WE SAY THIS WITH THE ED BOARDING ISSUE, THAT IS AFFECTING THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND IT'S NOT WORKING.

>> Braude: CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT BOARDING IS FOR LAY PEOPLE DR. SANTIAGO?

>> SO THE ARTICLE YOU'RE REFERRING TO TALKS ABOUT THE PHENOMENON LEFT WITHOUT BEING SEEN.

FOLKS IN THE EMERGENCY WAITING ROOM WHO LEAVE PRIOR TO BEING EVALUATED BY A PHYSICIAN.

BOARDING IS MADE, AS SOON AS THE DECISION IS MADE THE CLOCK STARTS.

SO TYPICALLY YOU WANT TO GET A PERSON INTO BED WITHIN FOUR WHAT WE'VE SEEN FOR A VERY LODGE TIME NOW IS PEOPLE WILL STAY IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR HOURS UPON HOURS UP TO 24 HOURS, AND PARTICULARLY IN THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS WE'RE SEEING, SOMEONE WITH ACTIVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN THE OF A HOSPITAL.

>> Braude: DR. VANROOYEN, WHY IS THIS LAPPING?

DR. BURKE SAID THIS IS A LONG TIME COMING SO IT SHOULDN'T BE A SURPRISE BUT WHAT CAUSED THIS TO EXPLODE RIGHT NOW?

>> FIRST OF ALL THANK YOU FOR HAVING US ON AND DEMYSTIFYING THIS ISSUE, SINCE IT'S A BIT COMPLICATED.

HOSPITALS ARE ARE TO FULL AND THE LEGITIMATE OF STAY FOR PATIENTS ARE ONE OR TWO DAYS LONGER THAN THEY HAVE BEFORE.

WHICH MEANS THEY CAN'T GET PATIENTS OUT TO POSTACUTE BEDS OR OTHER BEDS, ET CETERA, AT MASS GENERAL WE'VE HAD UP TO 99 BOARDED PATIENTS IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WAITING TO BE ADMITTED.

>> Braude: IS THAT IN PART DR. VANROOYEN, BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE AVOIDED CARE DURING THE PANDEMIC FOR FEAR THEY WOULD GET COVID, IS THAT BUCH PART OF THE -- BACKUP PART OF THE PROBLEM?

>> I THINK NO.

I THINK STAFFING SHORTAGES IN REHAB BEDS MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO GET PATIENTS FROM THE HOSPITAL TO THOSE FAIFLTS.

MEANS THAT PEOPLE ARE WAITING DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL AND BACKING UP INTO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.

>> Braude: I THOUGHT THIS WAS A TYPO AND I HAD MY CO-WORKERS CHECK.

THE MASS HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION SAY THERE ARE 19,000 VACANT POSITIONS IN HOSPITALS ACROSS THE STATE.

AND WE DUG A LITTLE DEEPER AND THAT'S ROUGHLY 17% ACROSS THE BOARD.

OBVIOUSLY A LITTLE HIGHER IN SOME POSITIONS, A LITTLE LOWER.

TO ME, THAT IS UNIMAGINABLY HORRIBLE.

IS THAT THE CORE OF THE PROBLEM IN YOUR PLACE?

>> IT VARIES.

YOU KNOW I WORK IN BOSTON.

I WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY HOSPITALS.

SOME GEOGRAPHIC AREAS ARE ABLE TO RECRUIT BETTER GUT THAT IS ALSO UNIVERSAL.

WE'RE ALL HURTING FOR NURSES AND OUTER STAFF MEMBERS.

THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF THE PEOPLE WE NEED TO STAFF THE IN PATIENT BEDS OR DEPARTMENTS, WE CAN'T GET PATIENTS TO INPATIENT UNITS AND WE CAN'T TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE IN THE ED.

>> Braude: THE NUMBER IS UP TO 2% NATIONALLY AND 6%, I KNOW IT'S HIGHER ON CERTAIN DAYS IN CERTAIN HOSPITALS, IN MASSACHUSETTS THE PATIENTS WHO LEAVE.

THEN I'LL TALK TO ALL THREE OF YOU.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THAT PERSON WHO DOES LEAVE ARE, WHAT DO THEY DO?

DO THEY GO TO URGENT CARE, DO THEY GO HOME, DO THEY DIE, DO THEY GET WORSE, STARTING WITH YOU DR. SANTIAGO DO WE KNOW OR -- >> WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT THERE ARE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH ED BOARDING.

WE KNOW THAT MORBIDITY, MORE TALLITY RISES, WE KNOW THAT BURNOUT RISES AS WELL AND IT IS NOR EXPENSIVE.

WITH RM TO PEOPLE LEFT WITHOUT BEING SEEN, CONDITIONS WEREN'T AS SERIOUS OR AREN'T AS BAD, THAT'S NOT TRUE.

FOLKS ARE JUST AS SICK.

YOU KNOW?

THEY ARE HAVING CHEST PAIN THEY VERY WELL COULD BE HAVING A SIGNIFICANT HEART ATTACK, IF THEIR RIGHT ARM IS FEELING KIND OF NUMB THEY INDEED MAY BE HAVING A STROKE, BUT THEY HAVE TO LEAVE, TAKE CARE OF A SIBLING, GO TO WORK, HAD A HAS NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES WITHOUT QUESTION.

>> Braude: DR. VANROOYEN, HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO TRACK AT ALL?

IF YOU KNEW THAT MUCH THEY PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE, WHATEVER THE PERCENTAGE IS, THAT LEAVE?

>> SO I'LL GRAY WITH DR. SANTIAGO.

THIS IS FAIRLY WELL-KNOWN THAT THOSE PATIENTS SUFFER FROM THE SAME RATES OF HEART ATTACKS, STROKES AND SEVERE ILLNESS THAN THOSE WHO COME INTO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.

WE HAVE A CALL BACK SYSTEM TO CHECK ON PATIENTS TO MAKE SURE THEY GOT CARE.

BUT FRANKLY WE DON'T KNOW THE RATE.

BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH EXTREME CROWDING WE TRY TO FIT PEOPLE IN, BECAUSE I'D RATHER SEE PEOPLE IN A SUBOPTIMAL SETTING RATHER THAN SITTING IN A WAITING ROOM AND UNKNOWN.

>> Braude: SUBOPT MA'AM, IT MAY BE A PRIVACY CONCERN, MAYBE AN YOU UNORTHODOX PHYSICAL SETTING, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DR. VANROOYEN?

>> WE HAVE PEOPLE IN HALLWAYS IN SITTING BEDS IN EVERY PLACE IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT BUT AGAIN AS A PROVIDER I'D FAR RATHER HAVE THAT EVEN HOWEVER CHALLENGING IT IS THAN NOT KNOW THOSE PATIENTS THAT ARE COMING IN AROUND LEERVEG WITHOUT BEING SEEN.

>> Braude: DR. BURKE AS A CONSUMER OF WHAT YOU DO RATHER THAN A PROVIDER LIKE YOU WHAT IS EQUALLY TERRIFYING TO ME, THE WAIT, THE PEOPLE WHO JUST LEAVE WITHOUT GETTING CARE, ARE THE PEOPLE WHO READ THE STORY, OR LAYER IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT YOU GOT TO WAIT FOR X NUMBER OF HOURS, UNTIL YOU GET EITHER SEEN OR GET A BED OR WHATEVER, WHO SAY, I'M NOT GOING TO EVEN GO THERE TO BEGIN WITH.

I'M JUST NOT GOING TO GET CARE.

THAT'S A SERIOUS ISSUE, THAT I GUESS IS UNQUANTIFIABLE, BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE, NO, DR. BURKE?

>> THAT IS ABSOLUTELY A CONCERN.

BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE JOB OF THE LAY PUBLIC TO JUDGE THEIR OWN EMERGENCIES.

IF THEY FEEL THEY NEED EMERGENCY CARE THEY SHOULD COME IN AND WE KNOW THIS FROM THE EARLY PANDEMIC WHEN PEOPLE DID DELAY CARE.

WE SAW THAT WHETHER PEOPLE DID COME IN WITH STROKES, THEY WERE MORE SEVERE.

WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS EXCESS MORTALITY THAT WAS NOT EXPLAINED BY COVID ALONE, WE KNEW THAT WAS A KEY DRIVER OF THIS.

WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO GET THEM SEEN AND GET THEM THE CARE THEY NEED.

IT'S HEARTBREAKING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH CROWDING AND SUBOPTIMAL CONDITIONS BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THE BEST FOR OUR PATIENTS.

>> Braude: DR. SANTIAGO OR IN THIS CASE REPRESENTATIVE, I KNOW IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BILL THAT FINALLY MADE IT OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE, NOT YOUR FAULT BUT WHATEVER IT IS THAT FINALLY GOT TO GOVERNOR BAKER'S DESK, THAT HE HANDY SIGNED BUT I ASSUME HE WILL, OUT OF THE 3.8 BILLION FOR FISCALLY STRAINED HOSPITALS, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT A FISCALLY STRAINED HOSPITAL IS, BUT WILL THAT ALLAY SOME OF THIS PROBLEM OR IS THAT TARGETED TO OTHER THINGS?

>> IT'S REALLY A DROP IN THE BUCKET, JIM.

AS THE DOCTORS WERE SAYING MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS CALL, THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN GOING ON QUITE SOME TIME AND I'M GLAD THE ARTICLE IN THE GLOBE CAME OUT, IT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED ROBUSTLY AND AGGRESSIVELY.

THERE IS A NUMBER OF HEALTH CARE INCENTIVES THAT IS DRIVING THIS.

LABOR SHORTAGE, WHETHER IT'S THE INCREASE IN MENTAL HEALTH SUBSTANCE USE, $350 MILLION THAT'S A DROP, IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE NO LESS, PARTICULARLY THE SETTING OF COVID AND COMING OUT OF COVID BUT ALSO WANT TO DO SO MUCH MORE.

WE PASSED A SIGNIFICANT OMNIBUS HEALTH CARE BILL THAT WILL ADDRESS OTHER SHORTAGES AS WELL.

>> Braude: DR. VANROOYEN, OTHER THAN OUTSIDE HELP LIKE DOLLARS, IS THERE SOMETHING WITHIN INSTITUTIONS, I ASSUME YOU'RE DOING WHATEVER YOU CAN BUT WHAT CAN BE DONE TO TRY TO ADDRESS THIS WITHIN A HOSPITAL OR A HOSPITAL NETWORK?

>> SURE.

SO THE FIRST STEP IS THAT HAVING THE HOSPITAL AND THE HOSPITAL NETWORK OVERALL UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT PROBLEM, THIS IS ACTUALLY, OUR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS AS BUSY AS THEY ARE WITHOUT BOARDING COULD TAKE CARE OF OUR PATIENTS.

WE ARE DESIGNED FOR IT, TO SERVE OUR PATIENTS AND OUR COMMUNITIES.

THIS IS A HOSPITAL AND SYSTEM WIDE ISSUE.

THE FIRST IS THE RECOGNITION, THE SECOND IS DISTRIBUTION OF THE PATIENTS AROUND THE SYSTEM.

WHAT WE CALL LOAD LEVELING BETWEEN THE ACADEMIC AND COMMUNITY SITES.

THEN HAVING NOVEL SOLUTIONS, HOAX HOSPITAL SOLUTIONS OR TELEMEDICINE SO WE COULD MOVE 92 COMMUNITY SETTINGS.

>> IS YOUR ESTIMATION THAT THE SOLUTION WOULD BE LESS SEVERE OR NO?

>> OH NO.

ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS THE HOSPITALS ARE SO FULL AND THE LABOR SHORTAGES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT ARE SO SEVERE STILL THAT I DON'T ANTICIPATE THIS GETTING BETTER SO WE NEED TO COME UP WITH EVERY AVAILABLE SOLUTION TO MITIGATE THIS ISSUE AND THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, DOZENS OF DIFFERENTLY SOLUTIONS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE ON.

BUT AT THE FIRST IS THE RECOGNITION BY HOSPITALS AND BY THE OVERALL HEALTH SYSTEM THAT THIS IS NOT AN ED PROBLEM.

IT'S A HOSPITAL PROBLEM.

>> Braude: ARE YOU SAYING THAT BECAUSE THERE'S NOT THAT RECOGNITION?

>> YES, I THINK IT'S DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE OUTSIDE THE WALLS OF THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT THE BOARDING ISSUE AND THE CROWDING ISSUE IS REALLY AN INSTITUTIONAL ISSUE.

AND I'VE HAD COLLEAGUES WHO WORK VERY HARD IN THESE INSTITUTIONS TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS TOO SO IT'S NOT THAT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY RECOGNIZE IT BUT IT IS A HUGE ISSUE AND WE NEED EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND IT AND TO HELP.

>> Braude: I SAW BOTH OF YOU IN NODSING AGREEMENT WITH WHAT DR. VANROOYEN SAID.

SOMEONE IS WATCHING TONIGHT AND HERE'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND SAYS THREE DAYS FROM NOW WHEN THEY HAVE A HEALTH CRISIS OR PROBLEM, I'M NOT SURE I'M GOING TO GO DO THIS.

I DON'T WANT TO SIT THERE FOREVER, AND NOT GET CARE.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT PERSON IN ADVANCE?

>> I THINK ONE, ONE OPTION WOULD BE TO TALK TO YOUR PHYSICIAN, TO HELP TRIAGE WHERE YOU SHOULD GO FOR YOUR CARE, CERTAINLY IF YOU THINK YOU'RE HAVING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY I STILL ADVISE GOING TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.

WE WILL FIND A WAY.

CERTAINLY THE WAIT IS LONGER.

BUT IF YOU THINK YOU'RE HAVING AN EMERGENCY DO NOT DELAY CARE.

IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, AND YOU WANTED TO TALK TO YOUR PHYSICIAN, THERE ARE OTHER WAYS AND PLACES THAT CARE COULD BE HANDLED BUT I WOULD NOT TRY AND GO IT ALONE AND TRY THE JUDGE FOR YOURSELF.

I WOULD TALK TO A QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL AND HELP WALK YOU THROUGH THE OPTIONS THAT EXIST.

>> Braude: DR. BURKE, DR. SANT YAGEE DR. VANROOYEN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO IN THE DAYS AND NIGHTS AT WORK.

THANK YOU ALL, REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Braude: ELON MUSK HAS MADE A LOT OF QUESTIONABLE MOVES SINCE TAKING OVER TWITTER, FROM HIS BID TO MONETIZE ACCOUNT VERIFICATION AND HIS NEW RULES, WHICH INCLUDE SUSPENSIONS AND BANS FOR NAME CHANGES, SEEMINGLY IN RESPONSE TO A TIDAL WAVE OF USERS PARODYING HIM.

ONE MOVE IN PARTICULAR IS PROMPTING NOT JUST MASS FIRINGS.

ON FRIDAY, THE COMPANY LAID OFF AROUND 3,700 EMPLOYEES, NEARLY HALF OF ITS TOTAL WORKFORCE.

THE PROCESS WAS A HASTY ONE, WITH MANY EMPLOYEES ASSUMING THEY WERE BEING FIRED WHEN THEY WERE CUT OFF FROM EMAIL, SLACK AND OTHER WORKPLACE SYSTEMS SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE THEY GOT AN ACTUAL TERMINATION EMAIL FROM TWITTER TO THEIR PERSONAL ACCOUNT.

AND NOW, TWITTER IS FACING A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT, FOR NOT GIVING SUCH EMPLOYEES STATUTORILY MANDATED ADVANCED NOTICE BASED ON A FEDERAL LAW KNOWN AS THE WORKER ADJUSTMENT AND RETRAINING NOTIFICATION, OR WARN ACT.

I'M JOINED NOW BY THE ATTORNEY WHO'S LEADING THIS CLASS ACTION ON BEHALF OF A HANDFUL OF EX-TWITTER EMPLOYEES: SHANNON LISS-RIORDAN, WHO ALSO BROUGHT A SIMILAR SUIT AGAINST MUSK'S ELECTRIC VEHICLE COMPANY TESLA, AFTER LAY-OFFS BACK IN JUNE.

YOU'LL REMEMBER SHE RAP FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL.

SHANNON LISS-RIORDAN, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> Braude: WHAT DO THEY GET FROM TWITTER?

>> THIS WAS DONE HASTILY.

THURSDAY NIGHT, RUMORS WERE SWIRLING THAT HALF OF THE WORKFORCE WOULD BE SHUT OFF, WORKERS SHUT OUT OF THEIR ACCOUNTS WITHOUT ANY NOTICE.

WE TOOK ACTION, WORRIED THAT MUSK WOULD DO THE SAME THING HE DID WITH TESLA, THEN IMMEDIATELY SIGN AWAY THEIR RIGHTS, TO A SEVERANCE AGREEMENT.

AT THE TIME, MUSK -- >> Braude: PLAINTIFF IN THE CASE HAS STILL NOT GOTTEN SUCH A NOTICE AND HE HASN'T BEEN PROMISED ANYTHING.

BUT LOOKS WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW IS MUSK IS TRYING TO COUNT THIS TWO MONTHS TOWARDS THE SEVERANCE PAY THAT THE GLOWS WERE PROMISED THEY WOULD GET IF THERE WERE LAYOFFS AFTER MUSK TOOK OVER THE COMPANY.

OUR BIG CONCERN IS EMPLOYEES, THIS WEEK, PROBABLY, WILL SIGN AWAY THEIR RIGHTS WITHOUT REALIZING PERHAPS THEY HAVE A LEGAL CLAIM.

>> Braude: BY THE WAY, THE THING THAT MUSK SAID, HE TWEETED OUT, LET ME READ IT TO YOU, REGARDING TWITTER'S REDUCTION IN FORCE UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NO CHOICE WHEN THE COMPANY IS LOSING OVER $FOWFER MILLION A DAY.

EVERYONE EXITED WAS OFFERED, THREE MONTHS OF SEVERANCE, WAIT A SECOND, 50% LESS THAN LEGALLY REQUIRED.

WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT?

>> THAT IS ACTUALLY NOT RIGHT.

THE EMPLOYEES WERE PROMISED THAT IF THERE WERE LAYOFFS AFTER MUSK TAKING OVER THE COMPANY THAT THEY WOULD BE ENTITLED TO THE SAME BENEFITS INCLUDING SEVERANCE PAY THAT WOULD HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN GIVEN TO THEM AS TWITTER EMPLOYEES.

>> Braude: I SEE.

>> MUSK IS NOW TRYING TO HAVE IT BOTH WAYS, HE'S TRYING TO COUNT THE TWO MONTHS WARN PAYMENTS TOWARDS THAT AMOUNT AND THAT IS NOT ALLOWED.

WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF USING THIS TO GET OUT THE PROMISED SEVERANCE PAYMENTS.

>> Braude: BY THE WAY, ONE OF YOUR CLIENTS, LOOK MOM SUING TWITTER.

>> HE'S THE LEAD PLAINTIFF.

>> Braude: I LOVE THAT.

WE'VE READ A LOT OF HORROR STORIES, ONE WOMAN SIX MONTHS PREGNANT, ANOTHER ONE EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT, GETTING THEIR E-MAIL ACCOUNTS SHUT OFF.

THIS ACT, REQUIRES THAT WHEN THERE ARE MASS LAYOFFS AND THIS SATISFIES IT, THEY DO HAVE TO GIVE THIS 60 DAYS SEVERANCE DEAL CORRECT?

>> YES THAT'S CORRECT.

>> >> Braude: JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE ISSUE IS NOT JUST INADEQUATE NOTIFICATION, THERE ARE ISSUES WHETHER THIS WAS RETALIATORY OR DISCRIMINATORY, IS THAT STUFF YOU'RE LOOKING AT NOW?

>> YES WE JUST FILED A CHARGE WITH THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD WITH REGARD TO THE LEAD PLAINTIFF.

HE ADVISED HIS CO-WORKERS HOW TO PROTECT THEMSELVES IF THERE WAS A MASS LAYOFF.

HE SHOWED THEM HOW TO DOWNLOAD THEIR DOCUMENTS, AND HE GOT CUT OFF THAT DAY.

>> Braude: BY THE WAY, WE SHOULD SAY SOME OF THESE WORKERS ARE IN BOSTON BY THE WAY.

>> YES.

>> Braude: ONE OF THEM IS IN BOSTON.

>> ONE OF THEM IS IN BOSTON AS WELL.

>> Braude: I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS IS TRUE, THEY CONTEND THAT IN THE CONTENT MODERATION DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS OF MOST CONCERN TO PEOPLE NOT ONLY LONG TERM BUT LEADING UP TO TOMORROW'S ELECTION, HE SAYS THE LAYOFFS ARE ONLY AT 15% RATHER THAN THE 50% LEVEL.

YOU'RE SMILING MEANING THAT COULD BE TOTAL BS.

>> WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING.

IT'S VERY CONCERNING, THIS ALL HAPPENED JUST DAYS BEFORE THE MID TERM ELECTIONS WHEN TWITTER IS A MAJOR SOURCE OF NEWS FOR SO MANY PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IN THE OLD DAYS MILLIONAIRES WOULD BUY NEWSPAPERS IN ORDER TO INFLUENCE POLITICS AND GET THEIR VOICES HEARD ABOVE ALL OTHERS.

AND IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE A BILLIONAIRE BUYS A SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY IN ORDER TO GET HIS VIEWS OUT THERE.

APPARENTLY HE IS TWEETING NOW ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES.

>> PRINT COMPANIES LIKE JOHN HENRY WITH THE GLOBE AND JEFF BEZOS, I'VE SPOKEN TO AN EDITOR AND FORMER EDITOR, AND BOTH SAYING THERE WAS NO INTERFERENCE.

SPEAKING TO THE PERSON WHO IS, IT IS EASY TO HATE ELON MUSK.

JACK DORSEY THE GUY WHO FOUNDED THIS PLACE WAS CEO TWICE, WAS APOLOGIZED, I UPSTAFFED, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A WORD, HE HIRED TOO MANY PEOPLE TOO FAST AND CREATED THE PROBLEM.

WHY ARE YOU LAFERG?

>> I'D BE INTERESTED IN SEEING THE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN HE AND ELON MUSK AND HOW MUCH HE GOT TO TAKE THAT.

>> Braude: AND YOU FILED A SIMILAR SUIT I THINK EARLIER THIS YEAR AGAINST TESLA FOR DOING COMPARABLE THINGS.

>> YES AND IN THAT CASE MUSK RESPONDED, HE ACTUALLY RESPONDED TO THE CASE AND SAID THAT I.T.

WHEREAS QUOTE TRIVIAL.

>> Braude: I SAW THAT.

>> I SAID I THINK IT'S VERY CONCERNING THAT THE RICHEST MAN IN THE WORLD THINKS THAT PROTECTING EMPLOYEE RIGHTS IN FEDERAL EMPLOYEE LAWS IS TRIVIAL.

EMPLOYEES WERE REQUIRED TO NOTICE BEFORE THEY WERE REQUIRED TO SIGN AWAY THEIR RIGHTS.

>> Braude: CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG SHANNON, I LOOKED FOR PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE WARREN ACT, HOPING THAT THE EMPLOYEES DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE.

CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO PAY THEM THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO THAT YOU DIDN'T GIVE THEM AND THERE'S A $500 A DAY MAXIMUM FINE.

THAT'S IT.

NOT COMPLYING WITH THE FEDERAL LAW MANDATES.

>> YOU JUST EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM AS WE FACE AS EMPLOYEE ADVOCATES.

FOR PRETTY MUCH ALL EMPLOYEE PROTECTIONS.

EMPLOYEES CAN ALMOST ALWAYS JUSTIFY FINANCIALLY, SKIRTING THE LAW, WAITING IF ANYBODY IS COMING AFTER THEM AND PERHAPS PAYING A FRACTION OF THAT THROUGH A SETTLEMENT.

>> Braude: A CLOSE TO DOING BUSINESS KIND OF THING ALMOST.

>> YES EXACTLY.

THESE COMPANIES USE ARBITRATION AGREEMENTS TO TRY TO BLOCK CLASS ACTIONS, THINKING THAT NO ONE IS ACTUALLY GOING TO FILE A CASE INDIVIDUALLY AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL DO, FILE LOTS OF ARBITRATIONS, THOUSANDS IF WE HAVE TO.

>> Braude: I WAS A UNION PRESIDENT IN MY FORMER LIFE.

THE TRICKLE DOWN OR UP IMPACT OF THIS EXTENDS BEYOND THE PEOPLE, THE 3700 IN THIS CASE OR THE WORKERS AS TESLA YOU REPRESENTED WHO MISTREATED THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE WHO BASICALLY WERE ON TENTER HOOKS, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO MY CO-WORKER IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME.

THAT'S INTENTIONAL TO SOME MUSK LIKE CHARACTERS ISN'T IT?

>> HE'S GOT EVERYONE IN FEAR.

THEY BETTER BE WORKING 24 HOUR DAYS AND SLEEPING AT WORK AND DOING EVERYTHING, THEY'RE ALL LIVING ON THE EDGE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN THE NEXT ROUND OF LAYOFFS.

>> Braude: IS TODAY MONDAY, YES IT IS, HE SAID I NEED SOME OF THEM BACK, YOU'RE LAUGHING AGAIN, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S PREPOSTEROUS.

IS THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING?

>> YES, YOU JUST MENTIONED TO ME THE SATIRE.

>> Braude: MUSK THE GREAT SATIRIST, MUSK UNCONSCIOUSLY INCLUDES HIMSELF AS PART OF MUSK LAYOFFS.

IS THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING, ARE THEY INVITING SOME PEOPLE BACK?

>> THAT'S WHAT I'VE HEARD.

THIS WAS DONE SO FAST WITHOUT ANY REGARD OF THINKING HOW THIS WAS AFFECTING THE EMPLOYEES.

AND WE ARE ALSO GOING TO LOOK AT THE INFORMATION OF WHO WAS SELECTED.

OLDER WORKERS OFTEN BEAR THE BRUNT OF MASS LAY JOCHES AND IN HE'S GOING TO TRY TO GET A RELEASE THIS WEEK UNDER FEDERAL LAW THEY HAVE TO RELEASE THE AGES OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE LAID OFF AND NOT LAID OFF AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THAT DATA.

>> Braude: I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS, YOU ROOTING FOR YOUR CLIENTS, THANKS SO MUCH.

THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT, BUT COME BACK TOMORROW.

JUST BEFORE THE POLLS CLOSE, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S IN STORE IF REPUBLICANS TAKE THE HOUSE AND SENATE.

PLUS, AN ELECTION DAY PALETTE CLEANSER: JAMIE MAMMANO, THE CHEF AND OWNER OF OSTRA, WHICH JUST GOT A FIVE-STAR REVIEW FORM THE "GLOBE."

THAT AND MORE, TOMORROW AT 7:00.

THANKS FOR WATCHING, AND PLEASE DON'T FORGET ABOUT UKRAINE.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org >> HEY, FOLKS!

EDGAR B. HERWICK III HERE FROM GBH'S "CURIOSITY DESK," WHERE YOU ASK QUESTIONS, AND I FIND ANSWERS.

AND TODAY, WE TAKE A TRIP TO THE SPA.

(CLASSICAL MUSIC) LIFE HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS IS CHOCK FULL OF LITTLE QUIRKS.

YOU CAN SEE AN IMAX MOVIE AT A FURNITURE STORE.

OUR BOWLING BALLS ARE HALF AS BIG, AND DON'T HAVE ANY FINGER HOLES.

AND YES, CONVENIENCE STORES ARE SOMETIMES CALLED SPAS.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS LONG PUZZLED ONE LOYAL FAN OF THE "CURIOSITY DESK."

>> I WAS WONDERING IF YOU KNOW WHY CONVENIENCE STORES, OR CORNER STORES, IN BOSTON ARE CALLED SPAS.

>> NOW, THAT WORD, "SPA," COMES TO US FROM, OF ALL PLACES, BELGIUM, SPECIFICALLY A SMALL TOWN IN BELGIUM NAMED SPA, AND THEY NAMED IT SPA BECAUSE IT WAS BUILT AROUND THIS NATURAL BUBBLING MINERAL SPRING THOUGHT TO HAVE HEALING POWERS.

THE WORD "SPA" DERIVES FROM THE WORD "ESPA," WHICH MEANS SPRING OR FOUNTAIN IN WALLOON, A ROMANCE LANGUAGE SPOKEN IN PARTS OF BELGIUM.

RESORTS BUILT AROUND MINERAL SPRINGS, LIKE THE ONE IN SPA, BEGAN POPPING UP ALL OVER EUROPE AND THE U.S.

IN THE 19th CENTURY, AND THEY BECAME KNOWN AS SPAS.

SO FROM THERE, YOU CAN SEE WHY WE USE THE WORD TODAY FOR ANYTHING FROM A SWANKY RESORT TO A HEALTH AND WELLNESS PLACE; EVEN A BACKYARD WHIRLPOOL.

BUT A CONVENIENCE STORE?

THE USE OF THE WORD SPA IN THIS SENSE IS UNIQUE TO THIS AREA, AND IT GOES BACK AT LEAST AS FAR AS THE LATE 1800s.

WE KNOW THIS BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE JULIE ROBERTS IN THE WORLD.

SHE STUDIES REGIONAL DIALECTS, INCLUDING THE ONE THAT WE SPEAK AROUND HERE, WHICH IS KNOWN IN LINGUISTIC CIRCLES AS EASTERN NEW ENGLAND ENGLISH.

>> IT'S WICKED NICE OUT.

I'M GOING TO GO TO THE SPA TO GET A BOSS OF TONIC.

>> SEE, THAT'S CLASSIC EASTERN NEW ENGLAND ENGLISH RIGHT THERE.

ROBERT'S TRACKED DOWN ONE OF THE EARLIEST KNOWN USAGES OF THE WORD SPA IN THIS CONTEXT IN PRINT.

IT WAS IN A STORY ABOUT BOSTON FROM A PENNSYLVANIA NEWSPAPER.

>> IN BOSTON, THOMPSON'S SPA, THE GREATEST SODA RESORT AT THE HUB, EASILY CLEARS FOR ITS OWNERS $50,000 A YEAR.

>> WHAT MADE THOMPSON'S PLACE A SPA WAS THE BUBBLING SODA FOUNTAIN.

AND OF COURSE, FOR DECADES, SODA FOUNTAINS WERE A STAPLE IN DRUGSTORES AND FIVE AND DIMES-- THEMSELVES, THE FORERUNNERS TO THE MODERN CONVENIENCE STORE.

THERE YOU HAVE IT!

A LITTLE QUIRK OF EASTERN NEW ENGLAND ENGLISH THAT UPON CLOSER EXAMINATION ACTUALLY MAKES A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE.

DON'T FORGET TO LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE.

AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU ARE CURIOUS ABOUT!

BECAUSE HEY, I MIGHT JUST LOOK INTO IT FOR YOU.

I'M EDGAR B. HERWICK III.

STAY CURIOUS OUT THERE.

SWEET, THERE'S ONE ON MY SHIRT.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE IT OFF.