EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION DEMAND LETTER
West Virginia Law
West Virginia Human Rights Act, W. Va. Code Section 5-11-1 et seq.
[ATTORNEY/FIRM LETTERHEAD]
[Firm Name]
[Address Line 1]
[City, West Virginia ZIP]
Tel: [Phone Number]
Fax: [Fax Number]
[Attorney Email]
[West Virginia State Bar ID]
VIA CERTIFIED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
AND VIA EMAIL TO: [recipient_email]
[Date]
[Employer Contact Name]
[Title]
[Company Legal Name]
[Company Address]
[City, State ZIP]
Re: Employment Discrimination Claim of [Client Full Name]
WVHRC Complaint No.: [If filed]
EEOC Charge No.: [If filed]
CONFIDENTIAL SETTLEMENT COMMUNICATION - W. VA. R. EVID. 408
Dear [Mr./Ms./Mx. Last Name]:
This firm represents [Client Full Name] ("our client") regarding [his/her/their] claims of unlawful employment discrimination against [Company Legal Name] ("[Company Short Name]" or "the Company").
I. LEGAL FRAMEWORK
A. West Virginia Human Rights Act (WVHRA)
West Virginia prohibits employment discrimination under W. Va. Code Section 5-11-1 et seq.
Protected Classes Under WVHRA (Section 5-11-9):
- Race
- Religion
- Color
- National origin
- Ancestry
- Sex (including pregnancy)
- Age (40+)
- Disability
- Blindness
B. Federal Anti-Discrimination Laws
| Statute | Protected Class | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Title VII | Race, color, religion, sex, national origin | 42 U.S.C. Section 2000e et seq. |
| ADEA | Age (40+) | 29 U.S.C. Section 621 et seq. |
| ADA | Disability | 42 U.S.C. Section 12101 et seq. |
C. West Virginia Human Rights Commission (WVHRC)
Important: Administrative exhaustion is NOT required under WVHRA. Plaintiffs may file directly in court.
II. FACTUAL BACKGROUND
[Client Full Name] was employed by [Company Short Name] from [Start Date] through [End Date / Present] as a [Job Title] in [City], West Virginia.
III. LEGAL CLAIMS
A. Violation of West Virginia Human Rights Act
[Company Short Name] violated the WVHRA by discriminating against our client based on [protected class].
Key Provisions:
- Applies to employers with 12+ employees
- No administrative exhaustion required
- 2-year statute of limitations
- No statutory caps on damages
See Skaggs v. Elk Run Coal Co., 198 W. Va. 51 (1996).
IV. DAMAGES
Note: West Virginia has NO CAPS on compensatory damages.
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Back Pay | $[Amount] |
| Lost Benefits | $[Amount] |
| Compensatory Damages | $[Amount] |
| Punitive Damages | $[Amount] |
| Attorney's Fees | $[Amount] |
| TOTAL | $[Amount] |
V. SETTLEMENT DEMAND
We demand that [Company Short Name] pay $[Settlement Demand Amount] to resolve all claims.
VI. RESPONSE DEADLINE
Please respond within twenty-one (21) calendar days, no later than [Response Deadline Date].
Sincerely,
[Attorney Name]
[Title]
[Firm Name]
[West Virginia State Bar ID]
WEST VIRGINIA-SPECIFIC PRACTICE NOTES (Do Not Include in Final Letter)
Key West Virginia Considerations
[ ] No Administrative Exhaustion: Can file directly in circuit court
[ ] No Damage Caps: No statutory limits on compensatory damages
[ ] 12-Employee Threshold: Slightly lower than federal 15-employee threshold
[ ] No SOGI Protection: Sexual orientation and gender identity not protected under state law
[ ] Blindness Separately Protected: Explicit statutory protection
Statute of Limitations Reference
| Claim | Deadline | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| WVHRA Civil Action | 2 years | W. Va. Code Section 5-11-13 |
| WVHRC Complaint | 365 days | W. Va. Code Section 5-11-10 |
| EEOC (deferral state) | 300 days | 42 U.S.C. Section 2000e-5(e) |