Henkel v. Highgate Hotels, LP

**What Happened** A Postmaster at the United States Postal Service was fired from his position after the agency discovered he was having an extramarital affair with an employee who worked under him. The agency also found that he sent inappropriate text messages. The fired Postmaster challenged his termination, claiming he was discriminated against because of his age and that his punishment was unfairly harsh compared to what other employees received for similar misconduct. **What the Court Decided** The Merit Systems Protection Board upheld the Postal Service's decision to fire the Postmaster. The Board found that the agency had sufficient evidence proving the inappropriate relationship and text messages occurred. They rejected the former employee's claims of age discrimination and disagreed that his punishment was too severe compared to others. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows that supervisors can be fired for having romantic relationships with employees they manage, even if both people consent. It also demonstrates that federal employees cannot successfully challenge their firing by simply claiming the punishment was too harsh or discriminatory without strong evidence. Workers should understand that workplace conduct policies apply to everyone, and violations can result in termination regardless of job level.