Court Cases
Threat To Kill Supervisor Leads to Firing of Whistleblowing Controller
An air traffic controller became angry in a meeting and threatened to kill one of his supervisors with whom he had a history of conflict. The MSPB upheld…
Court Cases
Stay informed with the latest court cases affecting federal employees and retirees, including major federal employment law decisions, appeals, and rulings from MSPB, FLRA, EEOC, and federal courts. This category covers workplace rights, disciplinary actions, due process cases, retirement‑related rulings, TSP‑related litigation, and significant legal decisions impacting federal agencies and the federal workforce. Find clear summaries and analysis of the court outcomes shaping federal employment protections, benefits, and workplace policies.
Court Cases
Those Pesky Background Checks Can Lead to Removal
Can an employee fired during a probationary period file an appeal with the MSPB if she is fired as a result of information uncovered during a background check?…
Court Cases
Brandishing Gun to Students Leads to Removal–and Then to Federal Court
After boarding a school bus over the driver's objections to confront students who hit him with an object from the bus, and then brandishing a gun for the…
Court Cases
Preferential Treatment of Contractors Based on Race Rejected by Appeals Court
When the Air Force awarded a contract to a business owned by an Asian-American under a "set aside" for businesses owned by minorities, a lawsuit was filed. An…
Court Cases
Did I Mention Those Prior Disciplinary Actions?
A federal employee did not mention a previous job "due to an oversight" although, while in the previous job, he apparently received counseling letters, reprimands, suspensions and put…
Court Cases
“Flirtatious” Behavior and a Last Chance Agreement Lead to Removal
An employee of the Dept. of Veterans Affairs signed a "last chance" agreement and waived his appeal rights in order to be reinstated as a federal employee with…
Court Cases
Destroying a Federal Career for $96
How much is your career as a federal employee worth? A Senior Border Patrol Agent was fired for shoplifting about $96 worth of goods.
Court Cases
Is a 342-Day Federal Employee Suspension Too Long?
A federal court concludes that a decision resulting in the 342 suspension of an employee in the Social Security Administration was arbitrary because it was based solely on…
Court Cases
‘Litigation as a Form of Costless Entertainment’
The Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit has run out of patience with a frequent litigant. In a case involving the Social Security Administration, the court revoked…
Court Cases
Crying Poverty Leads to Dismissal of Employee Complaint
An employee at the Department of Education said she could not afford a legal filing fee of $250. She avoided the filing fee based on her representation of…