The Department of Veterans Affairs has been forced to rehire a fired worker after that worker appealed the decision to the Merit Systems Protection Board.

Brian Hawkins was the head of the VA Medical Center in Washington, D.C., but was fired after it was discovered that he was sending emails about problems at the facility to his wife. The D.C. facility was also being investigated for management problems, and the VA’s move was based on a finding that he was incapable of leading the facility.