Haas v. Lockheed Martin Corp.

Case Updates

The Maryland Court of Appeals declined to follow federal interpretation of civil rights laws when determining when Maryland’s statute of limitations should begin to run in an employment discrimination case. The Court of Appeals in Maryland held that the statute of limitations begins on an employee’s last day of employment, not the day of notification as followed by the U.S. Supreme Court, federal appeals courts and most state courts.

NCLC filed an amicus brief urging the highest court in Maryland to follow federal interpretation of civil rights laws when determining when Maryland’s statute of limitations should begin to run in an employment discrimination case. In its brief, NCLC argued the Maryland Court of Special Appeals correctly held that, like federal law, the statute of limitations began when Lockheed gave the employee written notice of its decision to eliminate her position, and not on the last day of her employment fourteen days later. Maintaining uniformity between federal and state interpretation and enforcement of federal, state and anti-discrimination laws will provide consistency for businesses in Maryland.