Loudermill v. Cleveland Board of Education (1985)

Ohio's civil service statute granted Loudermill and other classified employees a constitutionally protected property interest in continued employment by limiting removal to only those shown unfit. Although Ohio provided a post-termination hearing opportunity, the Court found this procedure constitutionally inadequate because the deprivation had already occurred—the employees had already lost their jobs without any prior notice or chance to respond. The Court held that the Due Process Clause requires something more: at minimum, an informal pre-termination opportunity for the employee to present their side before the employer makes its final dismissal decision. This pretermination safeguard need not be elaborate, but it must occur before, not after, the deprivation takes effect.