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Our Wins

Often, our clients wonder what to expect with their specific case. While every situation is unique, we offer the following successful legal outcomes across a broad array of scenarios to share some of the positive results our federal employment attorneys have achieved.

*Results may vary because each case must be decided on its own unique facts and the law applicable to that given case. You should not infer the likelihood of success in a given case based on past cases handled by this firm.

Specific Case Results

Non-Selection Based on Race and Gender

We represented a federal employee who had not been selected for promotion by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) despite having qualifications for a position that were plainly superior to the selectee who was chosen over her. After litigating the matter, we were able to establish a prima facia case of discrimination and establish that the agency’s explanation was a pretext for discrimination. Ultimately, the agency issued a Final Agency Decision stating that the employee had been subjected to discrimination.
RESULT: As a result of our representation, we were able to secure an award for our client that included a promotion to the position at issue, reasonable attorneys’ fees and mandatory EEO training for the Responsible Management Officials.

Disability Discrimination

A civilian federal employee who had been subjected to a hostile work environment at the Department of the Navy (DON) on account of his disability sought out our EEO law firm for experienced legal representation. The federal agency involved had also ignored and subsequently denied his reasonable accommodation requests concerning his disability. During the course of litigation, we were able to show that the agency had subjected the employee to clear disability discrimination. The administrative judge in the matter mandated both parties to participate in a settlement conference.
RESULT: Advocating on our client’s behalf, we were able to secure $67,802.00 in damages, restoration of substantial annual and sick leave hours and a reassignment for him to a different supervisory chain.

Wrongful Termination

We represented a federal employee who was wrongfully terminated during his first year in a position as a civilian employee at the United States Army (USA) as an alleged probationary employee. However, his status as a probationary employee was incorrect given the fact that our client had already been working with the same agency for several years in a different, but related position—a fact he maintained when the process to terminate him got underway. Working closely with the agency involved, we were able to demonstrate that his previous years of work with the same agency were indeed related to his most recent role.
RESULT: We were able to arrive at a settlement agreement where the federal employee’s termination was rescinded. Additionally, we were able to secure a neutral letter of reference for our client and substantial compensatory damages.

Termination Based on Disability and Age

Our client was a seasoned professional with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) with years of successful experience in his position. However, as he approached retirement age, the federal agency involved began increasing his workload and placed unreasonable deadlines on his assignments in order to force him out the door. What’s more, when he requested a reasonable accommodation to help him complete the increase in his workload, the agency demanded that he provide medical documentation that was already on record with their department.
RESULT: Working with the federal agency that had terminated our client based on his disability and age, we successfully negotiated a fair and reasonable settlement in the amount of $77,000.00.

Termination Based on Race

Our client was a non-Caucasian civilian federal employee working for the Delaware Air National Guard who was wrongly terminated for the unauthorized use of a government credit card. While he may or may not have made the unauthorized use of the credit card, we were able to demonstrate that other Caucasian employees had regularly made the same use of their government-issued credit card, but unlike our client, were never reprimanded for doing so. As we continued our investigation into the facts and events surrounding our client’s situation, our team proved that he was a victim of job discrimination based on his race.
RESULT: Working with the federal agency involved, we were able to successfully and quickly negotiate a $75,000.00 settlement for our client based on EEO laws governing wrongful termination related to his race.

Success with Disability Retirement

We represented a Social Security Administration (SSA) federal employee who was told that his application for disability retirement was rejected for being filed after the deadline. However, he had already provided his application to his Human Resources department, who incorrectly informed him that they could not process his application until after his Social Security Disability Benefits had been approved. After we successfully showed the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that his application had indeed been filed in a timely manner, OPM then claimed his medical records did not support the claim for disability retirement.
RESULT: Working with his healthcare providers to provide the necessary documentation required by the OPM, we were able to ensure that our client could affordably live closer to his children thanks to being granted disability retirement annuity payments.

Gender Discrimination

An experienced and knowledgeable federal employee management official who had been serving as an acting manager with the U.S. Department of Labor for over a year suspected she was the victim of gender discrimination when the agency’s actions did not reflect her past performance. Despite glowing reviews from colleagues who’d worked with her, the agency chose a male candidate with no federal civilian employment experience to fill her role—offering our client a different position on the other side of the country that would have separated her from her family.
RESULT: After entering into mediation, we were able to persuade the Department of Labor to not only provide her with a comparable position closer to her family, but also cover the legal expenses she’d incurred and all of her related moving expenses.

Termination Order Turned Into a New Career Path

A professional federal employee working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture sought out our assistance when he felt the agency had unfairly removed him from the federal employee position he was hired for, citing his alleged inability to perform the essential functions of his job. Upon hearing more about the basic facts of his situation, we immediately recognized he was not being treated fairly and had a viable Equal Employment Opportunity case on his hands. As his legal representatives, we initiated the EEO process by filing a formal complaint in the mandatory 45-day window of time and guided him through the investigative process. Through persistent negotiation with the attorney representing the U.S. Department of Agriculture, we were able to show how the agency’s determination was not based on our client’s performance, but rather because of his race and national origin.
RESULT: We were able to successfully negotiate a transfer for our client, which included both his moving expenses and attorneys’ fees. Better still, our client is now thriving in his new career thanks to a positive work environment that allows him to perform at his very best.
Contact us today
If you're a federal employee and feel you've been the victim of unlawful discrimination involving MSPB claims or EEO claims, our experienced federal employment attorneys stand ready to fight on your behalf. Give us a call today at (404) 724-0000 or fill out the form below and we'll be sure to follow up in a timely manner.
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what our clients are saying
“I really appreciate how much Melville Johnson cared about my case. From the very beginning of the process, their federal employee attorneys were friendly and very informative. We won the case, and they were even helpful afterwards, answering any questions or concerns. Thank you Melville Johnson, and I will definitely pass your good work along to others in need.”
- Jim R.
“Despite the complexity of my situation, Melville Johnson took on my claim and immediately put me at ease with a clear demonstration of their expertise with EEO law. From the very start, the firm’s team members have been amazing to work with—hardworking, honest and extremely trustworthy. I would recommend them to anyone who needed this type of legal assistance!”
- Bridget B.
“As a person with a disability working for the federal government, I knew I needed to get the right legal professional assistance for my case. And while the process could have been tedious and overwhelming for a layperson without much legal knowledge, Melville Johnson alleviated all the potential stress involved by taking the guesswork out of my hands. With their help, I received disability approval in record time! I want to thank you for the superior work your firm performed. From my very first contact, your Client Intake Manager took the time to answer all of my initial questions and provide detailed information at every turn. And your attorneys showed nothing but professionalism and kindness throughout the process.”
- Sandra B.
“The consummate professionals at Melville Johnson work closely with you to ensure your rights are being protected. As a current federal employee, I found myself in a situation where the job I was asked to do didn’t match the position description for which I was hired nor the compensation I deserved. With the firm’s help, I was able to obtain back pay and transfer into a position that matched the job I was performing."
- L.M.