Archives for November 2022

Arbitrator Reinstates Pierce County Deputy Terminated for Misconduct Related to Her Father’s Domestic Abuse Charges

By Jim Cline and Kim Lowe

In Pierce County, Arbitrator Clauss reinstated a deputy police officer, finding that the County failed to prove that she was intentionally dishonest or that she withheld any information material to a separate investigation. The Arbitrator applied the usual principles of just cause and progressive discipline and found that the department did not have just cause to terminate the Deputy.

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PERC Dismisses Two Petitions to Sever Certain Police Support Employees from Units of City Employees

By Jim Cline and Kim Lowe

In City of Bellingham and City of Issaquah, PERC Executive Director Sellars ruled that both units would stay intact, dismissing severance petitions that would have broken certain police support employees from the larger units. Director Sellars found that the disputed employees and their existing unit still share a community of interest in spite of certain member dissatisfaction issues. Sellars also noted that severance in Issaquah would create work jurisdiction disputes that did not exist before.

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