20 CFR § 1002.305 - What court has jurisdiction in an action against a State or private employer?
---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t20/s1002.305"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "20 CFR § 1002.305 - What court has jurisdiction in an action against a State or private employer?"
title_number: 20
title_name: "Employees' Benefits"
section_number: "1002.305"
section_name: "What court has jurisdiction in an action against a State or private employer?"
chapter_name: "OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR VETERANS' EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR"
part_number: "1002"
part_name: "REGULATIONS UNDER THE UNIFORMED SERVICES EMPLOYMENT AND REEMPLOYMENT RIGHTS ACT OF 1994"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "Section 4331(a) of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), 38 U.S.C. 4331(a) (Pub. L. 103-353, 108 Stat. 3150)."
regulatory_source: "70 FR 75292, Dec. 19, 2005, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "1002"
---
# 1002.305 What court has jurisdiction in an action against a State or private employer?
(a) If an action is brought against a State or private employer by the Attorney General, the district courts of the United States have jurisdiction over the action. If the action is brought against a State by the Attorney General, it must be brought in the name of the United States as the plaintiff in the action.
(b) If an action is brought against a State by a person, the action may be brought in a State court of competent jurisdiction according to the laws of the State.
(c) If an action is brought against a private employer or a political subdivision of a State by a person, the district courts of the United States have jurisdiction over the action.
(d) An action brought against a State Adjutant General, as an employer of a civilian National Guard technician, is considered an action against a State for purposes of determining which court has jurisdiction.