West Virginia Jury Instruction — 1.1.1 Public Employee First Amendment Claim Discharge — Failure To Promote Free Speech On Matter Of Public Concern: This West Virginia Jury Instruction (1.1.1) pertains to the legal framework surrounding public employee First Amendment claims related to discharge and the failure to promote free speech on matters of public concern. Public employees, like individuals working for government entities or organizations that receive public funding, enjoy certain free speech rights protected by the First Amendment. These rights include expressing opinions on matters of public concern without fear of retaliation or adverse employment actions. The instruction emphasizes that to establish a valid claim, the plaintiff (the public employee) must prove the following elements: 1. Employment Relationship: The plaintiff must establish that an employment relationship existed between the plaintiff and the defendant (the employer) during the alleged violation of the First Amendment rights. 2. Public Employee Status: The plaintiff must demonstrate that they were employed as a public employee during the time of the alleged violation. This could include teachers, law enforcement officers, government employees, or anyone working for a public entity. 3. Free Speech on a Matter of Public Concern: The plaintiff must show that their speech was on a matter of public concern. This means that the speech addressed issues significant to the community or society at large, rather than personal or private matters. Factors to consider while determining the public concern nature of speech may include its content, context, and form. 4. Adverse Employment Action: The plaintiff must prove that they suffered an adverse employment action as a result of the exercise of their free speech rights. Adverse actions may include termination, demotion, failure to promote, or any other action that negatively impacts the plaintiff's employment opportunities. 5. Connection Between Speech and Adverse Action: The plaintiff must establish a causal link between their speech on a matter of public concern and the adverse employment action taken by the defendant. This means proving that the defendant was aware of the speech and that it was a substantial motivating factor in the adverse employment decision. It is important to note that there may be variations or additional types of West Virginia Jury Instructions related to public employee First Amendment claims discharge based on context or specific circumstances. These may include instructions related to: — Public Employee First Amendment Claim Discharge — Political AffiliatioDiscriminationio— - Public Employee First Amendment Claim Discharge — WhistlebloweProtectionio— - Public Employee First Amendment Claim Discharge — Retaliation for Reporting Government Wrongdoings — Public Employee First Amendment Claim Discharge — Righassociationio— - Public Employee First Amendment Claim Discharge — Expression of Personal Beliefs During Work Hours Each of these variations may involve nuanced elements and legal considerations based on the specific First Amendment claim raised by the public employee.