Cleveland Bd. of Educ. v. Loudermill

In Cleveland Bd. of Educ. v. Loudermill, 470 U.S. 532, 546 (1985), the U.S. Supreme Court held that government must accord a public employee "some kind of hearing" before terminating his employment, but this may consist of no more than a meeting at which the employer (a government entity) states the grounds for dismissal and gives the employee an opportunity for rebuttal.

The brief pre-termination hearing is satisfactory so long as it is coupled with more formal post-termination proceedings, for this allocation of the burden of a hearing protects both the employee and the employer's interest in maintaining an efficient workplace.