Database Search Result Details

First Name Gordon
Last Name Simmons
Decision Date 10/4/2024
Docket Number 2024-0557-DOA
ALJ BTC
Respondent Public Defender Services
Employment Type STATE
Job Title Investigator
Topics Non-disciplinary employment actions
Primary Issues Whether prohibiting Grievant from representing grievants while holding the position of 'Chief Steward' of a union was a discriminatory or a retaliatory action?
Outcome DENIED
Statutes W.Va. Code St. R. 156-1-3; W. Va. Code 55-17-3; W. Va. Code § 6C-2-3(p); W. Va. Code 143-1-17
Related Cases Leichliter v. Dep't of Health & Human Res., Docket No. 92-HHR-486 (May 17, 1993), aff’d Pleasants Cnty. Cir. Ct. Civil Action No. 93-APC-1 (Dec. 2, 1994). Freeman v. Fayette Cty. Bd. of Educ., 215 W. Va. 272, 277, 599 S.E.2d 695, 700 (2004). Syl. Pt. 6, 215 W. Va. at 275, 599 S.E.2d at 698 (citing Syl. Pt. 4, Frank's Shoe Store v. Human Rights Comm’n, 179 W. Va. 53, 365 S.E.2d 251 (1986); Syl. Pt. 1, Brammer v. Human Rights Comm’n, 183 W. Va. 108, 394 S.E.2d 340 (1990); Syl. Pt. 10, Hanlon v. Chambers, 195 W. Va. 99, 464 S.E.2d 741 (1995)). Coddington v. Dep't of Health & Human Res., Docket Nos. 93-HHR-265-67 (May 19, 1994); Frost v. Bluefield State College, Docket No. 2011-0895-BSC (Jan. 29, 2014), aff’d W.Va. Sup. Ct. App. No. 14-0841 (June 12, 2015) (memorandum decision). Mace v. Pizza Hut, Inc., 180 W.Va. 469, 377 S.E.2d 461, 464 (1988); see also Shepherdstown Volunteer Fire Department v. State ex rel. West Virginia Human Rights Commission, 172 W.Va. 627, 309 S.E.2d 342 (1983).Mace, 377 S.E.2d 461 at 464.” W. Va. Dep't of Nat. Res. v. Myers, 191 W. Va. 72, 76, 443 S.E.2d 229, 233 (1994); Conner v. Barbour Cty. Bd. of Educ., 200 W. Va. 405, 409, 489 S.E.2d 787 (1997).State ex rel. Eads v. Duncil, 196 W. Va. 604, 474 S.E.2d 534 (1996) (citing Arlington Hosp. v. Schweiker, 547 F. Supp. 670 (E.D. Va. 1982)). Bedford County Memorial Hosp. v. Health and Human Serv., 769 F.2d 1017 (4th Cir. 1985); Yokum v. W. Va. Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, Docket No. 96-DOE-081 (Oct. 16, 1996).” Trimboli v. Dep’t of Health and Human Res., Docket No. 93-HHR-322 (June 27, 1997), aff’d Mercer Cnty. Cir. Ct. Docket No. 97-CV-374-K (Oct. 16, 1998). Syllabus Point 3, In re Queen, 196 W.Va. 442, 473 S.E.2d 483 (1996).’” Syl. Pt. 1, Adkins v. W. Va. Dep't of Educ., 210 W. Va. 105, 556 S.E.2d 72 (2001) (per curiam).Trimboli v. Dep't of Health and Human Res., Docket No. 93-HHR-322 (June 27, 1997), aff’d Mercer Cnty. Cir. Ct. Docket No. 97-CV-374-K (Oct. 16, 1998); Blake v. Kanawha County Bd. of Educ., Docket No. 01-20-470 (Oct. 29, 2001), aff’d Kanawha Cnty. Cir. Ct. Docket No. 01-AA-161 (July 2, 2002), appeal refused, W.Va. Sup. Ct. App. Docket No. 022387 (Apr. 10, 2003).
Keywords Retaliatory motivation, ill intent, ethical duty, investigator, rules of professional conduct, representation, union, secondary employment,
Intermediate Court of Appeals
Circuit Court
Supreme Court
Synopsis Grievant is employed by Respondent as the sole investigator in its Habeas Corpus Division. Respondent prohibited Grievant from representing grievants in the grievance process in his capacity as the chief steward of a union. Grievant failed to prove that Respondent’s prohibition was in retaliation for filing a notice of intent to file a lawsuit against a state agency or that the prohibition was otherwise arbitrary and capricious. Accordingly, the grievance is denied.

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