Database Search Result Details

First Name Sharma
Last Name Radhey
Decision Date 11/15/2024
Docket Number 2024-0389-WVU
ALJ JSF
Respondent West Virginia University
Employment Type HE
Job Title Professor
Topics Termination
Primary Issues Whether Respondent violated Grievant's constitutional tenure rights by failing to consider seniority when evaluating Grievant's employment under a reduction in force action? Whether Grievant proved Respondent acted arbitrarily and capriciously in the way it applied the “performance” and “knowledge & qualifications” factors in its reduction in force act?
Outcome Granted/Denied
Statutes W. VA. CODE ST. R. § 156-1-3 (2018)
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). Powell v. Brown, 160 W. Va. 723, 238 S.E.2d 220 (1977). See Dyer v. Lincoln County Bd. of Educ., Docket No. 95-22-494 (June 28, 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)). 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). 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). Jones v. W. Va. Dept. of Health & Human Resources, Docket No. 96-HHR-371 (Oct. 30, 1996); See Stamper v. W. Va. Dept. of Health & Human Resources, Docket No. 95-HHR-144 (Mar. 20, 1996); Womack v. Dept. of Admin., Docket No. 93-ADMN-430 (Mar. 30, 1994). Perdue v. Dept. of Health & Human Resources, Docket No. 93-HHR-050 (Feb. 4, 1994).” Aglinsky v. Bd. of Trustees, Docket No. 97-BOT-256 (Oct. 27, 1997), aff’d, Monongalia Cnty. Cir. Ct. Docket No. 97-C-AP-96 (Dec. 7, 1999), appeal refused, W.Va. Sup Ct. App. Docket No. 001096 (July 6, 2000). Cohen v. Brown Univ., 101 F.3d 155, 187 (1st Cir. 1996), cert. denied, 520 U.S. 1186 (1997) . Krotkoff v. Goucher College, 585 F.2d 675 (4th Cir. 1978). .” Jenkins v. West Virginia University, Docket No. 2008-0158-WVU (June 2, 2009) (citing Skaff v. Pridemore, 200 W. Va. 700, 490 S.E.2d 787 (1997) (per curiam)) (other citations omitted). , Waite v. Civil Serv. Comm'n, 161 W. Va. 154, 241 S.E.2d 164 (1977), overruled in part on other grounds by W. Va. Dep't of Educ. v. McGraw, 239 W. Va. 192, 201, 800 S.E.2d 230, 239 (2017). 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 Service Commission, 177 W.Va. 729, 356 S.E.2d 483 (1987).
Keywords
Intermediate Court of Appeals
Circuit Court
Supreme Court
Synopsis Grievant was a tenured CEE professor of 14 years when dismissed via RIF. WVU’s Rule 4.7 required WVU to “give consideration” to the RIF factors of “performance,” “knowledge & qualifications,” and “seniority” “as part of a holistic assessment.” Grievant claims WVU failed to consider each RIF factor as part of a holistic assessment and violated his constitutional tenure rights by using only 3 years of evaluations to RIF him instead of recently hired non-tenured faculty. While tenure may confer constitutional rights, Rule 4.7 does not mandate its consideration. Even if Rule 4.7 is unconstitutional, the Grievance Board cannot order that it be changed. Yet, Rule 4.7 does require that WVU consider Grievant’s “seniority.” Grievant proved that WVU failed to consider his “seniority.” Accordingly, the grievance is GRANTED, IN PART, and DENIED, IN PART.

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