With the drop oil prices several years ago, many energy companies conducted reductions in force. Some of those headcount reductions triggered litigation under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN). WARN requires employers with 100 or more full time employees conducting plant closings and mass layoffs to provide at least 60 days advance notice
Fifth Circuit
Fifth Circuit Holds That Attorney’s Fees Not Recoverable In Title VII Mixed-Motive Retaliation Case
In a recent case from the Fifth Circuit, the Court held that attorney’s fees are not recoverable for a prevailing plaintiff in a Title VII mixed-motive retaliation case. In Carter v. Luminant Power Serv. Co., the plaintiff employee brought a Title VII discrimination and retaliation claim alleging that he was disciplined for his complaints of…
Fifth Circuit Sets Two Year Statute of Limitations for False Claims Act Retaliation Cases
The federal False Claims Act (aka Qui Tam statute) provides a cause of action for an employee who is retaliated against for attempting to prevent its employer from making fraudulent claims for payment to the United States. An open issue in the Fifth Circuit (the federal court of appeals covering appeals from Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi)…
Fifth Circuit Holds Title VII Damage Caps Apply “Per Party” Not “Per Claim”
In an issue of first impression in the Fifth Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals holds that Title VII’s damages cap apply on a "per party" basis rather than on "per claim." In Black v. Pan American, the Plaintiff, Carleen Black, prevailed on her Title VII and TCHRA claims of sex discrimination and…