Verizon Worker Failed to Exhaust Age Bias Claim Under Hawaii Law

Hawaii job discrimination law requires a worker to receive a right-to-sue notice from the state human rights agency to complete the mandatory administrative process prior to suing, and a Verizon Wireless employee’s EEOC right-to-sue letter wasn’t enough, a federal judge ruled.

William Hozey therefore failed to exhaust his pre-suit remedies, and his age discrimination lawsuit under Hawaii Revised Statutes §378-2 was properly dismissed, the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii said Monday.

Hozey argued that Hawaii has a work-sharing agreement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, so the notice he received from the federal agency informing him of ...