Database Search Result Details

First Name Michelle
Last Name Sturgeon
Decision Date 1/28/2025
Docket Number 2024-0587-CONS
ALJ BTC
Respondent Department of Health and Human Resources/ Bureau for Public Health
Employment Type STATE
Job Title Epidemiologist
Topics Termination/ Disciplinary
Primary Issues Whether Respondent was justified in its written reprimand to Grievant and termination of Grievant's empoyment? Whether Grievant proved functional demotion, harassment, retaliation, or that mitigation was warranted?
Outcome Denied
Statutes W. VA. CODE ST. R. § 156-1-3, W. VA. CODE ST. R. § 156-1-3, See also W. VA. CODE ST. R. § 143-1-12.2, W. VA. CODE § 6C-2-4(a)(1), W. VA. CODE § 6C-2-2(c). W.VA. CODE § 6C-2-2(1).  W. VA. CODE § 6C-1-3(a), W. VA. CODE § 6C-2-5(a), §51-11-4(b)(4), W. VA. CODE § 29A-5-4(b).
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); 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). See 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, Mon. Co. Cir Ct. Docket No. 97-C-AP-96 (Dec. 7, 1999), appeal refused, W.Va. Sup Ct. App. Docket No. 001096 (July 6, 2000). 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). Butts v. Higher Educ. Interim Governing Bd., 212 W. Va. 209, 212, 569 S.E.2d 456, 459 (2002) (per curiam) Sexton v. Marshall Univ., Docket No. BOR2-88-029-4 (May 25, 1988), aff'd, Sexton v. Marshall Univ., 182 W. Va. 294, 387 S.E.2d 529(1989). Reynolds v. Kanawha-Charleston Health Dep't, Docket No. 90-H-128 (Aug. 8, 1990) Day v. Morgan Co. Health Dep't, Docket No. 07- CHD-121 (Dec. 14, 2007)." Graham v. Wetzel County Bd. of Educ., Docket No. 2013- 0014-WetED (Feb. 15, 2013), aff'd, Graham v. Bd. of Educ. of Wetzel Cty., No. 13-0975, (W. Va. Sup. Ct., Apr. 28, 2014) (memorandum decision). Gunnells v. Logan County Bd. of Educ., Docket No. 97-23-055 (Dec. 9, 1997). Sinsel v. Harrison County Bd. of Educ., Docket No. 96-17-219 (Dec. 31, 1996); Seddon v. W. Va. Dep't of Health/Kanawha-Charleston Health Dep't, Docket No. 90-H-115 (June 8, 1990). citing Mason County Board of Education v State Superintendent of Sch., 165 W.Va. 732. Sellers v. Wetzel County Bd. of Educ., Docket No. 97-52-183 (Sept. 30, 1997).Beverly v. Div. of Highways, Docket No. 2014-0461-DOT (Aug. 19, 2014), aff'd, Kanawha Cnty. Cir. Ct. Docket No. 14-AA-95 (Mar. 31, 2015); Vance v. Reg'l Jail & Corr. Facility Auth., Docket No. 2011- 1705-MAPS (Feb. 22, 2012), aff'd, Kanawha Cnty. Cir. Ct. Docket No. 12-AA-32 (Jul. 5, 2012); Rogers v. Reg'l Jail & Corr. Facility Auth., Docket No. 2009-0685-MAPS (Apr. 23, 2009), aff'd, Kanawha Cnty. Cir. Ct. Docket No. 09-AA-92 (Dec. 8, 2010). Harris v. Forklift Systems, Inc., 510 U.S. 17, 22, (1993) Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Servs., Inc., 523 U.S. 75 (1998) (citing Harris, 510 U.S. at 23). See Hanlon v. Chambers, 195 W. Va. 99, 464 S.E.2d 741 (1995)." Napier v. Stratton, 204 W. Va. 415, 513 S.E.2d 463, 467 (1998) (percuriam). Kimzey v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 107 F.3d 568, 573 (8th Cir. 1997)." Fairmont Specialty Servs. v. W. Va. Human Rights Comm'n, 206 W. Va. 86, 96, 522 S.E.2d 180, 190 n.9 (1999). Dudley v. Bureau of Senior Serv., Docket No. 01-BSS-092, (July 16, 2001) (citing Gillispie v. W. Va. Dep't of Corrections, 89-CORR-105 (Aug. 29, 1989)); Dickey v. Div. of Labor, Docket No. 2008-1820-CONS (Jan. 21, 2009); Koblinsky v. Putnam County Health Dep't., Docket No. 2011-1772-CONS (Oct. 23, 2012), aff'd, Kanawha Cnty. Cir. Ct., Docket No. 12-AA-131 (July 24, 2013). Overbee v. Dep't of Health and Human Resources/Welch Emergency Hosp., Docket No. 96-HHR-183 (Oct. 3, 1996). Conner v. Barbour County Bd. of Educ., Docket No. 94-01-394 (Jan. 31, 1995). See Martin v. W. Va. State Fire Comm'n, Docket No. 89-SFC-145 (Aug. 8, 1989). Phillips v. Summers County Bd. of Educ., Docket No. 93-45-105 (Mar. 31, 1994). See Austin v. Kanawha County Bd. of Educ., Docket No. 97-20-089 (May 20, 1997). 
Keywords Written Reprimand, functional demotion, harassment, retaliation, hostile work environment, tardiness, attendance improvement plan, performance improvement plan, insubordination,mitigation
Intermediate Court of Appeals
Circuit Court
Supreme Court
Synopsis Grievant was employed as an Epidemiologist I by Respondent serving the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program and Newborn Hearing Screening Program within the Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health. Grievant protests a written reprimand, functional demotion, harassment retaliation, and ultimate termination from employment. Respondent proved it was justified in its written reprimand and termination of Grievant's employment. Grievant failed to prove functional demotion, harassment, retaliation, or that mitigation was warranted. Accordingly, the grievance is denied.

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