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Summary Judgment Termination Retaliation

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Admission That Business Unit Was Closed Due to Employee's Disability Precludes Dismissal of ADA Claim

When advising employers about the legal risks associated with a business reorganization, we generally advise that discrimination claims are less likely when a company closes an entire facility or department as compared to...more

Perkins Coie

Arizona Court of Appeals Reinstates Retaliatory Discharge Claim Under Fair Wages and Healthy Family Act

Perkins Coie on

The Arizona Court of Appeals recently held in Papias v. Parker Fasteners LLC, No. 1 CA-CV 22-0775 (Ariz. Ct. App. Oct. 17, 2023), that a discharged employee could proceed with his retaliation claim against his former...more

McGlinchey Stafford

What Is My Assumption of Risk? - McGlinchey Commercial Law Bulletin - September 11, 2023

McGlinchey Stafford on

Assumption of the Risk- Smith v. Be Fit with Michelle, LLC, 11th Dist. Lake, No. 2023-Ohio-3118. In this appeal, the Eleventh Appellate District affirmed the trial court’s decision to grant the defendant summary judgment...more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Federal Court Rejects Claims by Employees Allegedly Fired for Wearing BLM Masks

In February 2021, we wrote about Kinzer, et al. v. Whole Foods Market, Inc., a case pending in Massachusetts federal court in which multiple employees alleged that they had been terminated by Whole Foods for wearing Black...more

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Seventh Circuit Says Summary Judgment Stands: Evidence Does Not Support FCA Retaliation

Dorsey & Whitney LLP on

Yesterday, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a summary judgment decision dismissing a former employee’s False Claims Act (“FCA”) retaliation suit. Lam v. Springs Window Fashions, LLC, No. 21-2665, 2022 U.S. App....more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Federal Court: Employee’s Self-Serving Testimony and Discovery Responses Did Not Satisfy Burden of Proof on Summary Judgment

In Buckmaster v. The National Railroad Passenger Corp. d/b/a Amtrak, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland addressed whether an employee had offered any evidence of discrimination or retaliation beyond his own...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Employee’s Poor Performance Trumps FMLA Claim

On March 9, 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued an employer-friendly decision in Anderson v. Nations Lending Corporation. Despite some facially bad facts - including that the employee was discharged...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Consistently Inconsistent: An Example of Shifting Reasons for Employment Termination Precluding Summary Judgment

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas recently denied an employer’s motion for summary judgment when its alleged shifting reasons for terminating the plaintiff’s employment contract raised genuine issues...more

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

Plaintiff’s “Paramour Preference” Plan Panned: 9th Circuit Finds Romantic Relationship Not Enough to Show Discrimination Against...

In another chapter in litigation alliteration, in Maner v. Dignity Health, f/k/a Catholic Healthcare West, the Ninth Circuit held that a male employee’s theory that his supervisor’s long-term romantic relationship with a...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Texas Supreme Court Rules Request for Disability Accommodation Does Not Support Retaliation Claim Under State Law

Texas courts generally look to federal courts’ interpretation of federal anti-discrimination laws to assist in interpreting the anti-discrimination provisions of the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act (TCHRA). However, the...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

California Supreme Court Agrees To Answer Question About Employment Retaliation

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

Is the California Supreme Court about to make it more difficult to dispose of whistleblower retaliation claims? That may well be the case. The Supreme Court has agreed to answer the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals’ question...more

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

Stick to Your Story: Employer’s Shifting Termination Justifications Can Cause Employer to Have to Explain Its Discharge Decision...

If you want to avoid potential liability from a former employee, remember a key maxim: Stick to your story about why you made the employment decision. If an employer shifts rationales for its decision or tries to pile on by...more

Proskauer - Whistleblower Defense

Eastern District of Pennsylvania Grants Summary Judgment on SOX Claim

On July 18, 2019, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania granted a defendant-employer’s motion for summary judgment on a SOX whistleblower retaliation claim, holding that the Plaintiff did not have...more

Proskauer - Whistleblower Defense

Alabama Federal Court Denies Motion for Summary Judgement on SOX Whistleblower Claim

On April 2, 2019, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama denied a defendant-employer’s motion for summary judgment on a SOX whistleblower retaliation claim, finding genuine issues of material fact...more

Poyner Spruill LLP

Employers not required to guarantee employees will never be scheduled on religious Sabbaths

Poyner Spruill LLP on

In a recent 11th Circuit Court of Appeals opinion, Patterson v. Walgreen Co., the court affirmed judgment in favor of Walgreens after it fired Patterson for refusing to accept reasonable accommodations for his religious...more

Troutman Pepper

Inconsistent Factual Accounts Could Support An Inference Of Retaliation

Troutman Pepper on

Q. Is there anything I should look out for in documenting my legitimate business reason for terminating an employee? A. The United States Appeals Court for the Seventh Circuit (covering Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin)...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

11th Circuit Reminds Employers: Proceed Cautiously When Terminating Employees Shortly After FMLA Leave

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on

Seyfarth Synopsis: While employees who have recently taken leave may be terminated for legitimate reasons, establishing a non-retaliatory termination can be challenging. The timing of the termination alone can support...more

Proskauer - Whistleblower Defense

E.D. Pennsylvania Limits Protected Activity Under SOX

In Westawski v. Merck & Co., No. 14-cv-3239 (E.D. Pa. Oct. 18, 2016), the Eastern District of Pennsylvania granted Defendant Merck & Co. (Company) summary judgment on Plaintiff Joni Westawski’s (Plaintiff) SOX whistleblower...more

FordHarrison

Does New Jersey's Conscientious "Everyone" Protection Act Trump the NLRB's Exclusive Jurisdiction? State Supreme Court says "Yes"...

FordHarrison on

Executive Summary: Just when employers thought New Jersey's Supreme Court could not expand the state's whistleblower law further (as we reported last summer), the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA) once again has...more

Proskauer Rose LLP

The ERISA Litigation Newsletter - June 2016

Proskauer Rose LLP on

Editor's Overview - In this month’s newsletter, our colleagues focus on two sets of legislative updates. First is a discussion of the IRS’s proposed Treasury Regulations prescribing rules under Section 457 of the...more

Proskauer - Whistleblower Defense

Eighth Circuit Deals Significant Blow To SOX And Dodd-Frank Whistleblowers

On June 6, 2016, the Eighth Circuit affirmed the Minnesota District Court’s grant of summary judgment on SOX and Dodd-Frank whistleblower retaliation claims based on the plaintiff’s failure to establish a reasonable belief...more

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive...

Court Declines to Decide Whether ERISA Protects Employee From Reprisal For Informal Complaint

A federal court in Missouri was asked to determine whether a former employee proved a viable claim for retaliation under ERISA Section 510 by virtue of being terminated after she sent emails disparaging the company’s owner...more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Fourth Circuit Finds Rebellious Behavior by Subordinates Insufficient to Constitute Hostile Work Environment

Most hostile environment harassment claims brought under Title VII involve allegations of offensive conduct by the plaintiff’s supervisors or co-workers. In a few situations, the employee alleges that his or her subordinates...more

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

8th Cir. Rejects Dr.’s Grab-Bag Retaliation Suit

Dr. Alaa Elkharwily lost his job at Albert Lea Clinic, but he didn’t go quietly. He sued the clinic and eight related organizations and individuals alleging just about everything a terminated doctor can allege in Minnesota:...more

Proskauer - Whistleblowing & Retaliation

3rd Circuit Affirms Dismissal in Long-Running Weist SOX Whistleblower Case

On February 2, 2016, the Third Circuit affirmed the dismissal of the SOX whistleblower retaliation claim in the closely watched case of Weist v. Tyco Electronics Corp., No. 15-2034. We have posted on key events during the...more

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