Martha Knotts worked for the Grafton City Hospital until she was terminated at age 65. The hospital hired replacements who were 12 and 24 years younger than Knotts, but were over 40 years old.
Knotts filed a lawsuit in state court under the West Virginia Human Rights Act alleging age discrimination. The state circuit court held that Knotts could not establish a prima facie case of discrimination because her replacements were both over 40 and part of the protected class.
