Children's Services Division v. Ashman

622 P.2d 1126, 50 Or. App. 161, 1981 Ore. App. LEXIS 2069
CourtCourt of Appeals of Oregon
DecidedJanuary 16, 1981
DocketNo. 562 and 579, CA 17835; No. 562 and 579, CA 18027
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 622 P.2d 1126 (Children's Services Division v. Ashman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Children's Services Division v. Ashman, 622 P.2d 1126, 50 Or. App. 161, 1981 Ore. App. LEXIS 2069 (Or. Ct. App. 1981).

Opinion

GILLETTE, P. J.

This is the second time that this case has been before us. In our prior decision, Ashman v. Children’s Services Division, 37 Or App 865, 588 P2d 665 (1978), we held that the Employment Relations Board (ERB) had erred in affirming respondent Gary Ashman’s dismissal from the Children’s Services Division (Division) without considering Ashman’s allegations that his firing was made in bad faith. Specifically, we directed the Board to reconsider its prior decision and determine whether or not Ash-man’s dismissal had been made in "bad faith” at either or both of two levels, viz., the level at which he was given an order to transfer to a position of another class in Portland and the level at which the decision was made to dismiss him after he refused the transfer. Our mandate issued on March 13, 1979.

In response to our mandate, the Board entered the following Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law:

"FINDINGS OF FACT
"1. At the time of the action here under review, Appellant was employed in the Respondent’s Staff Development and Training Section in Salem in a position classified as Informational Representative 3. His position was funded from a vacant, budgeted Program Executive 2 position in Respondent’s Multnomah County Regional Office. The Program Executive 2 position had been a Regional Trainer position. Appellant was transferred to this position on August 16, 1976, from the position of Public Information Officer for the Respondent. Appellant did not grieve or refuse that transfer.
"2. A decision was made by the Administrator of the Respondent, on the basis of agency priorities, to move the position occupied by the Appellant back to Multnomah County and fill it as a Program Executive 2, Regional Trainer. Respondent and the State Personnel Division determined that Appellant had the necessary experience and training to fill the position at the Program Executive 2 level.
"3. The class of Informational Representative 3 is assigned salary range 21. The class of Program Executive 2 is assigned salary range 24.
[164]*164"4. On January 7, 1977, Appellant was notified that his position was being transferred to Portland and reclassified upward to Program Executive 2. Appellant was advised that he would transfer with the position.
"5. Appellant declined the Regional Trainer position and the geographic transfer to Portland.
"6. On April 11, 1977, Respondent notified Appellant that he was suspended without pay on April 13,1977, with dismissal effective April 26, 1977.
"7. Appellant testified that he was willing to go to Portland, but that he did not want the Regional Trainer position because he did not believe that he was qualified for the position.
"8. ORS 240.535 provides:
'An appointing authority may at any time assign an employe from one position to another position in the same class or rank in his division of the service. * * *’
"9. ORS 240.545 provides:
'No employe shall be transferred from a position.in one class to a position in another class of higher rank or for which there are substantially dissimilar requirements for appointment unless he is appointed to such latter position after certification of his name from a list in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.’
"10. The experience and training required by the class specification for Informational Representative 3 are as follows:
'Three years of experience in newspaper, magazine, or radio journalism or in work involving varied public contacts in the interpretation * * * of programs; and graduation from a four-year college or university with specialization in journalism or the technical functions of the employing department; or a satisfactory equivalent of experience and training.’
"11. The experience and training required by the class specification for Program Executive 2 are as follows:
'Equivalent to: A Bachelor’s degree; and three years of experience involving steadily increasing management responsibility; or three years experience in a staff technical or professional function related to a program of the employing agency. Preference may be given for candidates who, in the course of obtaining the specified experience and training, have experience in activities similar to those of the employing agency.’
[165]*165 "CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
"Respondent transferred Appellant in good faith and for the good of State service. Respondent needed the Regional Trainer position (Program Executive 2) in its Multnomah County Regional Office; it did not need Appellant’s position in the Salem office.
'The Personnel Division is empowered to reclassify positions. Respondent requested the Personnel Division to reclassify Appellant’s position. Although the Personnel Division’s analysis of whether the request was properly one to reclassify a position or one to abolish a position and re-establish it in Portland (see discussion, infra) left much to be desired, this Board cannot conclude that Respondent’s efforts to reclassify the position were in bad faith. Furthermore, although there is disagreement as to the extent of Appellant’s qualifications for the Regional Trainer position, it appears that he was, at least, minimally qualified for the position. In trying to determine Respondent’s 'state of mind,’ it should be noted that the result of Respondent’s acts was to transfer Appellant to a higher paying job in an area in which he preferred to live. Also noted is the fact that Respondent notified Appellant of the transfer in writing and advised him as to the implications of his refusal to accept the transfer.
"Notwithstanding our conclusion that Respondent’s decision to transfer Appellant was made for the good of state service and in good faith, the suspension and dismissal actions are hereby set aside. Appellant could not be required, under ORS 240.545, to transfer. Qualifications for the two positions differed and the salary level of the position was three (3) levels higher than the old position. Robbins, [v. Executive Dept., post] holds that when a proposed transfer is not to a position of the same class or rank, an employe cannot be required, at the risk of being dismissed for insubordination if he refused, to accept a different position. Therefore, Appellant had the right to decline the transfer and his declination was not insubordination.
"Respondent also argues that Appellant was the incumbent of a reclassified position, that the provisions of ORS 240.530 apply and, therefore, that the transfer was legal. We disagree.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Ashman v. Children's Services Division
648 P.2d 400 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 1982)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
622 P.2d 1126, 50 Or. App. 161, 1981 Ore. App. LEXIS 2069, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/childrens-services-division-v-ashman-orctapp-1981.