A former employee has taken legal action against a tech giant, alleging wrongful termination due to his military service. Eric N. Taylor II filed a complaint against Google LLC in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York on September 26, 2024.
Taylor, represented by Stevenson Marino LLP, claims that Google violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act of 1994 (USERRA) by terminating his employment based on his military status. The lawsuit asserts that Taylor was dismissed after failing to join a videoconference while on active military deployment in a secure facility.
According to the complaint, Taylor, an active member of the United States Naval Academy since November 2020, began discussions with Google for a Leadership Support Security Officer (LSSO) position in May 2023. After satisfying Google's requirements, including obtaining credentials under the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA), Taylor started working at Google on July 31, 2023. However, issues arose when Taylor took intermittent leave following the birth of his daughter and later informed Google about his upcoming military deployment from May to September 2024.
Despite notifying his superiors about his military orders and attempting to comply with Google's requirements for LEOSA credentials, Taylor faced increasing pressure from Google management. On April 13, 2024, Roger Copeland from Google's Operations Manager of Training and Compliance informed Taylor that his previously approved identification card was no longer sufficient under company policy. This led to a series of warnings and deadlines for compliance.
Taylor applied for Qualified Law Enforcement Officer (QLEO) credentials as required but requested additional time due to his impending deployment. His request was denied by Daniel Wallace, Google's Director of Leadership Support Services. Despite providing confirmation of obtaining QLEO credentials while on active duty, Taylor's efforts were ignored by Google management.
On June 13, 2024, while deployed in a secure facility in Long Island, New York, Taylor missed an email requesting him to join a video call. The next day, he was terminated by Google despite their awareness of his military status and obligations. Subsequent attempts by Taylor to explain his situation and provide necessary documentation were dismissed by Google's People Operations.
The lawsuit accuses Google of violating USERRA by terminating Taylor's employment due to his military service. It seeks damages for economic loss suffered by Taylor as well as preliminary and permanent injunctions against Google's unlawful practices. Additionally, it demands liquidated damages equal to the economic losses incurred due to Google's willful violations of USERRA.
The case is being handled by Stevenson Marino LLP. Case ID is Civil Action No.: 2:24-cv-06817.