Cooper v. Department of Veterans Affairs

Background

Prior to his removal, Mr. Cooper had been employed at the DVA Hudson Valley Health Care System since 1989. He was initially hired as a temporary housekeeping aide. After March 6, 2005, he worked as a pipe fitter for the agency. On March 11, 2010, Mr. Cooper became involved in an altercation with a coworker. Ignoring a warning from his supervisor not to escalate the dispute, Mr. Cooper struck the eoworker in the face. He subsequently refused to take a sobriety test, and his supervisor attributed the incident to his “apparent intoxication.” The DVA decided to remove Mr. Cooper,…