Database Search Result Details

First Name Amy
Last Name Hymes
Decision Date 7/24/2024
Docket Number 2023-0611-DHHR
ALJ JSF
Respondent Department of Health & Human Resources/ Bureau for Children & Families
Employment Type STATE
Job Title Deputy Commissioner
Topics Termination
Primary Issues Whether Respondent proved Greivant's creation of a hostile work environment justified Grievant's dismissal by Respondent? Whether Grievant proved she was entitled to reinstatement due to lack of Mitigation?
Outcome DENIED
Statutes VA. CODE ST. R. § 156-1-3 (2018); W. VA. CODE §6C-2-3(g)(1); 29 U.S.C. § 825.216. W. VA. CODE ST. R. § 143-1-12.2.a. W. VA. CODE § 6C-2-5(a) (2024) §51-11-4(b)(4),  W. VA. CODE § 6C-2- 5(b).W. VA. Code § 29A-5-4(b) (2024). 
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).Syl. Pt. 1, Oakes v. W. Va. Dep't of Finance and Admin., 164 W. Va. 384, 264 S.E.2d 151 (1980); Guine v. Civil Serv. Comm'n, 149 W. Va. 461, 141 S.E.2d 364 (1965); Sloan v. Dep't of Health & Human Res., 215 W. Va. 657, 600 S.E.2d 554 (2004) (per curiam). See also W. VA. CODE ST. R. § 143-1-12.2.a. (2022). Drown v. W. Va. Civil Serv. Comm'n, 180 W. Va. 143, 145, 375 S.E.2d 775, 777 (1988) Jones v. W. Va. Dep't of Health & Human Res., Docket No. 96-HHR-371 (Oct. 30, 1996); Young v. Div. of Natural Res., Docket No. 2009-0540-DOC (Nov. 13, 2009); See also Clarke v. W. Va. Bd. of Regents, 166 W. Va. 702, 279 S.E.2d 169 (1981).Burchell v. Bd. of Trustees, Marshall Univ., Docket No. 97- BOT-011 (Aug. 29, 1997). Buskirk v. Civil Serv. Comm'n, 175 W. Va. 279, 285, 332 S.E.2d 579, 585 (1985). See Blake v. Civil Serv. Comm'n, 172 W. Va. 711, 310 S.E.2d 472 (1983); Serreno v. W. Va. Civil Serv. Comm'n, 169 W. Va. 111, 285 S.E.2d 899 (1982).Wiley v. Div. of Natural Res., Docket No. 96-DNR-515 (Mar. 26, 1988); Linger v. Dep't of Health & Human Res., Docket No. 2010-1490-CONS (Dec. 5. 2012). Vannoy v. FRB of Richmond, 827 F.3d 296, 304-305 (4th Cir. Va. 2016). Syl. Pt. 4, Waite v. Civil Serv. Comm'n, 161 W. Va. 154, 156, 241 S.E.2d 164, 166 (1977). Clarke v. West Virginia Board of Regents, [166 W. Va. 702, 710], 279 S.E.2d 169, 175 (1981); Bone v. West Virginia Department of Corrections, 163 W. Va. 253, 255 S.E.2d 919 (1979); North v. West Virginia Board of Regents, 160 W. Va. 248, 233 S.E.2d 411 (1977) Buskirk, 17 Major v. DeFrench, [169 W. Va. 241, 255], 286 S.E.2d 688, 697 (1982)." Buskirk, 175 W. Va. At 283, 332 S.E.2d 5 W. Va. at 283, 332 S.E.2d at 583. Cleveland Bd. of Educ. v. Loudermill, 470 U.S. 532, 542 [84 L. Ed. 2d 494, 105 S. Ct. 1487] (1985)." Syl. Pt. 3, Fraley v. Civil Serv. Comm'n, 177 W. Va. 729, 730, 356 S.E.2d 483, 484 (1987). ' Syl. pt. 2 (in part), North v. West Virginia Board of Regents, 160 W. Va. 248, 233 S.E.2d 411 (1977)." Clarke at Syl. Pt. 5. Fraley, 177 W. Va. at 732, 356 S.E.2d at 486 (citing Loudermill at 546). See Nickerson v. City of Anacortes, 45 Wash. App. 432, 441, 725 P.2d 1027, 1032 (1986).” Fraley, 177 W. Va. at 733, 356 S.E.2d at 487.See Nickerson v. City of Anacortes, 45 Wash. App. 432, 441, 725 P.2d 1027, 1032 (1986)." Fraley, 177 W. Va. at 733, 356 S.E.2d at 487. Martin v. W. Va. Fire Comm'n, Docket No. 89-SFC-145 (Aug. 8, 1989)." Conner v. Barbour County Bd. of Educ., Docket No. 94-01-394 (Jan. 31, 1995), aff'd, Kanawha Cnty. Cir. Ct. Docket No 95-AA-66 (May 1, 1996), appeal refused, W.Va. Sup. Ct. App. (Nov. 19, 1996). 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)) See 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)Overbee v. Dep't of Health and Human Resources/Welch Emergency Hosp., Docket No. 96-HHR-183 (Oct. 3, 1996); Olsen v. Kanawha County Bd. of Educ., Docket No. 02-20-380 (May 30, 2003), aff'd, Kanawha Cnty. Cir. Ct. Docket No. 03-AA-94 (Jan. 30, 2004), appeal refused, W.Va. Sup. Ct. App. Docket No. 041105 (Sept. 30, 2004). Phillips v. Summers County Bd. of Educ., Docket No. 93-45-105 (Mar. 31, 1994); Cooper v. Raleigh County Bd. of Educ., Docket No. 2014-0028-RalED (Apr. 30, 2014), aff'd, Kanawha Cnty. Cir. Ct. Docket No. 14- AA-54 (Jan. 16, 2015).
Keywords DHHR Policy Memorandum 2123, hostile work environment, arbitrary and capricious , protocol, Civil service employees, subordinates,  classification, FMLA, due process, mitigation
Intermediate Court of Appeals
Circuit Court
Supreme Court
Synopsis Grievant was a Deputy Commissioner when dismissed for misconduct towards subordinates. Grievant's prior discipline and supervisory role were considered. Respondent proved Grievant created a hostile work environment and that there was good cause for dismissal. Grievant did not prove mitigation or lack of due process to warrant reinstatement. Accordingly, the grievance is DENIED.

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