Although some claims analysts were on a different Hartford subsidiary’s payroll, they nevertheless processed the plaintiff’s disability claim on behalf of the entity designated as plan administrator. Accordingly, under ERISA, the administrator’s decision to terminate benefits was subject only to ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Employee Benefits Employment Judge Paul V. Niemeyer

In a multi-plaintiff race discrimination suit against a state agency, the court said an attempt to “streamline” the original complaint did just the opposite, finding that plaintiff-by-plaintiff presentation of allegations was repetitive and too many claims relied on “information and ...

Tagged with: Civil Procedure Civil Rights Employment Employment Discrimination Judge M. Hannah Lauck U.S. District Court - Eastern District

A prosecutor who read racial slurs aloud from potential evidence, which he was evaluating at a pre-trial meeting, did not create a hostile work environment for the black police officers in the room. Even if such conduct could give rise ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Employment Employment Discrimination Judge Pamela A. Harris Municipal

The “Important Opinions” that appear each week on the front page of Virginia Lawyers Weekly are those chosen by our editors as the most likely to impact law practice or a given subject area of law. Below is a listing, ...

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An employee with a felony record was not discharged when his employer announced that employees would be subject to background checks and let go if they were felons. Rather, he voluntarily terminated his own employment in anticipation of discharge and ...

Tagged with: Employment Judge David W. Lannetti Norfolk Circuit Court Unemployment Comp Virginia Circuit Courts

Fired the day after asking for grievance paperwork, a black employee reasonably believed she was subject to a hostile work environment that was attributable to her employer. The district court erred in granting summary judgment against her. Background In August ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Civil Rights Employment Employment Discrimination Judge Roger L. Gregory Municipal

Genuine factual disputes remained as to whether a former university contract employee suffered pay discrimination. A male comparator with essentially equal duties received a significantly greater starting salary. Background In the fall of 2012, University of Virginia President Sullivan developed ...

Tagged with: Civil Rights Employment Employment Discrimination Judge Norman K. Moon U.S. District Court - Western District

An employee who was required to switch branches after reporting her pregnancy plausibly alleged an adverse employment action, noting that the transfer added time to her commute and interfered with her ability to put her school-aged children on the bus. ...

Tagged with: Civil Rights Employment Employment Discrimination Judge Elizabeth K. Dillon U.S. District Court - Western District

A county’s former Director of Tourism presented genuine factual disputes as to whether he was fired in retaliation for his past vote to censure members of the county board of supervisors who voted to raise taxes. Background At a Bedford ...

Tagged with: Constitutional Due Process Employment Employment Discrimination First Amendment Judge Norman K. Moon Municipal U.S. District Court - Western District

An employer was on notice that a workers’ compensation claim related not only to an initial work-related injury and surgery to repair it, but also to a subsequent knee replacement necessitated by the claimant’s post-operative stress fracture. Background Claimant Denzil ...

Tagged with: Employment Judge Robert J. Humphreys U.S. District Court - Western District Workers' Compensation