EEOC Claim – Retaliation

Listen to this article

7^th Circuit Court of Appeals

Case Name: Jerry L. Lewis v. Robert Wilkie

Case No.: 18-1702

Officials: FLAUM, MANION, and SYKES, Circuit Judges.

Focus: EEOC Claim – Retaliation

Jerry Lewis is an employee of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (the “Agency”). Lewis worked as a cook in the Nutrition and Food Service Department from December 2008 until September 2009 and then again from December 2013 until April 2015. The four‐year gap in employment from 2009 to 2013 occurred because Lewis was terminated and then, after a successful Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaint, was reinstated to his former position.

Lewis alleges that upon reinstatement he faced retaliation from the Agency and two supervisors for his EEO activity. The district court granted summary judgment to the Agency, holding in part that none of the alleged retaliatory actions constituted a materially adverse action. We agree with the district court’s thorough analysis and conclusion and affirm the judgment.

Affirmed

Full Text

Attorney Derek A. Hawkins is the managing partner at Hawkins Law Offices LLC, where he heads up the firm’s startup law practice. He specializes in business formation, corporate governance, intellectual property protection, private equity and venture capital funding and mergers & acquisitions. Check out the website at www.hawkins-lawoffices.com or contact them at 262-737-8825.