Footnotes

  1. Section I: Introduction. See Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq.
  2. Section III: Statutory and Procedural Foundation. Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.
  3. Section III: Statutory and Procedural Foundation. 29 C.F.R. § 1601.15 (EEOC regulations on party statements).
  4. Section IV: Relief Sought. See EEOC Charge Processing Procedures, EEOC.gov.
  5. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. “Unsigned, Unverified Submission” – See 29 C.F.R. § 1601.18(c) (requirement for verification of submissions).
  6. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. Workday Audit Log, June 28, 2024 (internal document, on file with Claimant).
  7. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. “Absence of Sworn Declarations” – See EEOC Enforcement Guidance (1996), Part IV(A).
  8. Section VI: Narrative of Retaliation. “Confidentiality in Medical Disclosures” – 42 U.S.C. § 12112(d)(4)(C).
  9. Section VI: Narrative of Retaliation. FMLA, 29 U.S.C. § 2615(a)(1)-(2); see also DOL FMLA Guidance.
  10. Section VI: Narrative of Retaliation. Workday Payroll Freeze Entry, 06/28/2024 (internal record).
  11. Section VI: Narrative of Retaliation. EEOC Enforcement Guidance on Retaliation and Related Issues (2016), available at EEOC.gov.
  12. Section VI: Narrative of Retaliation. “Constructive Discharge” – See Cornell Law: Constructive Discharge.
  13. Section VI: Narrative of Retaliation. Internal correspondence, Azariah Workman to HR, July 2024 (on file with Claimant).
  14. Section VII: Material False Statements. MetLife Disability File, Exhibit J (internal document).
  15. Section VII: Material False Statements. See SSA Blue Book for disability definitions.
  16. Section VII: Material False Statements. IRS Payroll Reporting Guidelines, IRS.gov.
  17. Section VIII: Statutory Standards. EEOC Quality Practices for Effective Position Statements, EEOC.gov.
  18. Section VIII: Statutory Standards. 5 U.S.C. § 556(d) (Administrative Procedure Act).
  19. Section VIII: Statutory Standards. DOJ ADA Title II Technical Assistance Manual, Sec. II-3.6100.
  20. Section VIII: Statutory Standards. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 56(c).
  21. Section VIII: Statutory Standards. National Association of Disability Representatives (NADR) Code of Conduct.
  22. Section VIII: Statutory Standards. American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rule 3.3.
  23. Section IX: Professional Referral. See “Drafting Effective Position Statements: Best Practices for Respondents,” Boston College Law Review, Vol. 59, No. 2 (2018).
  24. Section X: Workman Correspondence. Email from Workman to Claimant, July 9, 2024 (internal).
  25. Section X: Workman Correspondence. “Interactive Process” – 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(o)(3).
  26. Section X: Workman Correspondence. EEOC Guidance on “Promptness” in ADA Interactive Process, EEOC.gov.
  27. Section XI: Retaliation Timeline. Workday System Log, June 20, 2024 (internal record).
  28. Section XI: Retaliation Timeline. Chambers v. NASCO, Inc., 501 U.S. 32 (1991) (spoliation).
  29. Section XI: Retaliation Timeline. 29 C.F.R. § 1602.14 (recordkeeping requirements).
  30. Section XI: Retaliation Timeline. EEOC Position Statement, April 2025, p. 12 (on file).
  31. Section XI: Retaliation Timeline. HR Center Written Confirmation, August 2024 (internal).
  32. Section XII: Anticipated Defenses. See EEOC “Respondent’s Position Statement Guidelines,” EEOC.gov.
  33. Section XII: Anticipated Defenses. “Pretext” in employment law – see McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792 (1973).
  34. Section XII: Anticipated Defenses. “After-the-Fact Correction” – see EEOC v. AutoZone, Inc., 809 F.3d 916 (7th Cir. 2016).
  35. Section XII: Anticipated Defenses. “Procedural Gamesmanship” – see DOJ Title VII Guidance.
  36. Section XIII: CoxTrack Addendum. Internal CoxTrack Audit, July–September 2024 (on file).
  37. Section XIV: Declaration of Contradictions. MetLife Disability File, November 2024 (internal document).
  38. Section XIV: Declaration of Contradictions. Administrative Record, HRIS, July 2024 (on file).
  39. Section XV: Executive Knowledge. Email chain: Executive Review, April 2025 (internal).
  40. Section XV: Executive Knowledge. See “Fiduciary Duty in Employment Law,” ABA Practice Guide (2022).
  41. Section XVI: Protected Activity Chronology. Claimant’s FMLA Application, June 19, 2024 (internal).
  42. Section XVI: Protected Activity Chronology. EEOC Charge Filing, December 2024 (on file).
  43. Section XVI: Protected Activity Chronology. MetLife Coordination Email, October 2024 (internal).
  44. Section XVI: Protected Activity Chronology. DOL WHD Complaint, January 2025 (on file).
  45. Section XVII: Certification. Electronic signature is valid under ESIGN Act, 15 U.S.C. § 7001 et seq.
  46. Section XVIII: Service Attestation. Proof of service, USPS Certified Mail Receipt, April 2025 (on file).
  47. Section XVIII: Service Attestation. EEOC Portal Submission Receipt, April 2025 (internal).
  48. General: For definition of “adverse action,” see EEOC Adverse Action.
  49. General: For “interactive process” requirements, see Job Accommodation Network (JAN).
  50. General: For “constructive interference,” see 29 C.F.R. § 1602.14 and related case law.
  51. General: For “bad faith” in ADA/FMLA, see EEOC v. Chevron Phillips Chem. Co., 570 F.3d 606 (5th Cir. 2009).
  52. General: For “retaliatory animus,” see Univ. of Texas Southwestern Med. Ctr. v. Nassar, 570 U.S. 338 (2013).
  53. General: For “spoliation of evidence,” see Cornell Law: Spoliation.
  54. General: For “pretextual conduct,” see Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Prods., Inc., 530 U.S. 133 (2000).
  55. General: For “pattern or practice” discrimination, see Int’l Bhd. of Teamsters v. United States, 431 U.S. 324 (1977).
  56. General: For “adverse inference,” see Zubulake v. UBS Warburg LLC, 220 F.R.D. 212 (S.D.N.Y. 2003).
  57. General: For “interactive process delay,” see Barnett v. U.S. Air, Inc., 228 F.3d 1105 (9th Cir. 2000).
  58. General: For “reasonable accommodation,” see 42 U.S.C. § 12112(b)(5)(A).
  59. General: For “constructive notice,” see Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank & Trust Co., 339 U.S. 306 (1950).
  60. General: For “procedural due process,” see Cleveland Bd. of Educ. v. Loudermill, 470 U.S. 532 (1985).
  61. General: For “wage misreporting,” see DOL Wage and Hour Division Fact Sheet #21.
  62. General: For “IRS/SSA reporting,” see IRS Pub. 15 (Circular E), Employer’s Tax Guide.
  63. General: For “Virginia Employment Commission” wage reporting, see VEC Employer Tax Guide.
  64. General: For “cross-agency enforcement,” see EEOC-DOJ-DOL MOU (2018, revised 2022).
  65. General: For “electronic records and audit logs,” see 29 C.F.R. § 516.6(a)(1).
  66. General: For “adverse action after protected activity,” see Clark County Sch. Dist. v. Breeden, 532 U.S. 268 (2001).
  67. General: For “service certification,” see Fed. R. Civ. P. 5(b).
  68. General: For “digital signature validity,” see Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA).
  69. General: For “document preservation,” see EEOC Litigation Hold Notice Guidance.
  70. General: For “agency referral procedures,” see EEOC Compliance Manual, Section 605.

Supplemental Footnotes

  1. Section I: Introduction. See EEOC Charge Filing Procedures, EEOC.gov.
  2. Section II: Material Assertions. For a discussion of evidentiary admissions, see Fed. R. Evid. 801(d)(2).
  3. Section II: Material Assertions. Internal: Teams Chat Log, 06/28/2024, “Medical Leave Request” (on file).
  4. Section II: Material Assertions. For HR recordkeeping, see DOL Recordkeeping Requirements.
  5. Section III: Statutory Basis. For cross-agency memoranda, see EEOC-DOJ-DOL MOU (2018), PDF.
  6. Section III: Statutory Basis. For the definition of “non-hearsay,” see Fed. R. Evid. 801(d).
  7. Section IV: Relief Sought. For agency coordination, see “Interagency Coordination of Civil Rights Enforcement,” Harvard Law Review, Vol. 133 (2020).
  8. Section IV: Relief Sought. For judicial review standards, see 5 U.S.C. § 706 (APA).
  9. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. For digital signature best practices, see NIST Digital Signature Standard (FIPS PUB 186-4).
  10. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. Internal: Email approval chain, “Position Statement Finalization,” April 2025 (on file).
  11. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. For sworn affidavit requirements, see 28 U.S.C. § 1746.
  12. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. For call log subpoena procedures, see Fed. R. Civ. P. 45.
  13. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. Internal: Workday HRIS Edit Log, July 2024 (on file).
  14. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. For payroll audit standards, see DOL WHD Fact Sheet #21.
  15. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. For IRS/SSA wage reporting, see IRS Pub. 15.
  16. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. Internal: MetLife STD Claim File, July–November 2024 (on file).
  17. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. For ADA accommodation forms, see ADA National Network.
  18. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. For legal drafting disclaimers, see ABA Model Rule 1.2(c).
  19. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. Internal: Performance Review Drafts, June–July 2024 (on file).
  20. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. For disability harassment guidance, see EEOC Disability Discrimination.
  21. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. Internal: HR Complaint Log, July 2024 (on file).
  22. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. For investigation documentation, see EEOC Compliance Manual, Section 605.
  23. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. Internal: Interview Notes, HR, July 2024 (on file).
  24. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. For case grouping, see 29 C.F.R. § 1601.9.
  25. Section V: Forensic Breakdown. Internal: Legal Memo, “EEOC Charge Consolidation,” April 2025 (on file).
  26. Section VI: Narrative of Retaliation. For “confidentiality breach,” see EEOC v. Ford Motor Co., 531 F.3d 438 (6th Cir. 2008).
  27. Section VI: Narrative of Retaliation. Internal: Negative Evaluation, June 28, 2024 (on file).
  28. Section VI: Narrative of Retaliation. For “temporal proximity” in retaliation, see Clark County Sch. Dist. v. Breeden, 532 U.S. 268 (2001).
  29. Section VI: Narrative of Retaliation. For “constructive interference,” see 29 C.F.R. § 825.220(a).
  30. Section VI: Narrative of Retaliation. For “bad faith” in ADA, see Barnett v. U.S. Air, Inc., 228 F.3d 1105 (9th Cir. 2000).
  31. Section VI: Narrative of Retaliation. For “adverse inference,” see Zubulake v. UBS Warburg LLC, 220 F.R.D. 212 (S.D.N.Y. 2003).
  32. Section VI: Narrative of Retaliation. Internal: Payroll Inquiry Emails, July 2024 (on file).
  33. Section VII: Material False Statements. For FMLA documentation, see 29 C.F.R. § 825.306.
  34. Section VII: Material False Statements. For “interactive process delay,” see EEOC v. Chevron Phillips Chem. Co., 570 F.3d 606 (5th Cir. 2009).
  35. Section VII: Material False Statements. Internal: MetLife Coordination Log, October 2024 (on file).
  36. Section VII: Material False Statements. For “benefit eligibility,” see 29 C.F.R. § 825.301.
  37. Section VII: Material False Statements. For “payroll data accuracy,” see FLSA: 29 U.S.C. § 211(c).
  38. Section VII: Material False Statements. Internal: Final Paycheck Audit, August 2024 (on file).
  39. Section VII: Material False Statements. For “system log audit,” see 29 C.F.R. § 516.6(a)(1).
  40. Section VII: Material False Statements. For “constructive notice,” see Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank & Trust Co., 339 U.S. 306 (1950).
  41. Section VII: Material False Statements. Internal: HRIS Entry, July 1, 2024 (on file).
  42. Section VIII: Statutory Standards. For “substantial evidence,” see Universal Camera Corp. v. NLRB, 340 U.S. 474 (1951).
  43. Section VIII: Statutory Standards. For “summary judgment,” see Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317 (1986).
  44. Section VIII: Statutory Standards. For “documentary evidence,” see Fed. R. Evid. 1002.
  45. Section VIII: Statutory Standards. For “sworn statement,” see 28 U.S.C. § 1746.
  46. Section IX: Professional Referral. For professional responsibility, see ABA Model Rule 8.3.
  47. Section IX: Professional Referral. For NADR complaint process, see NADR Ethics Complaints.
  48. Section X: Workman Correspondence. Internal: ADA Accommodation Request, June 27, 2024 (on file).
  49. Section X: Workman Correspondence. For “stalling tactic,” see EEOC Guidance on Reasonable Accommodation, Q&A 10.
  50. Section X: Workman Correspondence. Internal: System Access Log, July 2024 (on file).
  51. Section X: Workman Correspondence. For “pattern of non-response,” see EEOC v. AutoZone, Inc., 809 F.3d 916 (7th Cir. 2016).
  52. Section XI: Retaliation Timeline. Internal: HR Ticket Log, July–September 2024 (on file).
  53. Section XI: Retaliation Timeline. For “spoliation,” see Chambers v. NASCO, Inc., 501 U.S. 32 (1991).
  54. Section XI: Retaliation Timeline. For “ongoing bad faith,” see EEOC v. Chevron Phillips Chem. Co., 570 F.3d 606 (5th Cir. 2009).
  55. Section XI: Retaliation Timeline. Internal: HR Center Email, August 2024 (on file).
  56. Section XII: Anticipated Defenses. For “lack of knowledge” defense, see Kolstad v. American Dental Ass’n, 527 U.S. 526 (1999).
  57. Section XII: Anticipated Defenses. For “pretextual justification,” see Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Prods., Inc., 530 U.S. 133 (2000).
  58. Section XII: Anticipated Defenses. For “procedural compliance,” see 29 C.F.R. § 1601.15(c).
  59. Section XII: Anticipated Defenses. For “after-the-fact correction,” see EEOC v. AutoZone, Inc., 809 F.3d 916 (7th Cir. 2016).
  60. Section XII: Anticipated Defenses. For “internal investigation,” see EEOC Compliance Manual, Section 605.