By Erica Shelley Nelson and Sarah E. Derry
In Island County Deputy Sheriff’s Guild, Arbitrator Gary Axon found that the Employer, Island County, lacked just cause to terminate a deputy sheriff who had 13 years on the job for sexually harassing a coworker. He instead ordered a 30-day suspension and a final warning notice that future sexual harassment will result in termination.
By Jim Cline and Geoff Kiernan
An arbitrator found that while a Portland police captain committed the numerous offenses at issue during the grievance hearing, the city did not have just cause for the indefinite demotion of the officer. Given the Police Captain’s 23 year history without discipline and the fact that the officer was in counseling to address some of the issues, the arbitrator found that a 60-day suspension was more appropriate.
