Sunday, December 05, 2010
Putnam County Health Department Reinstates Worker
WEST VIRGINIA....
The Putnam County Health Department has decided to reinstate Barbara Koblinsky who was fired in February for insubordination after refusing to meet with a supervisor without her union representative present. Koblinsky, who worked as a registered sanitarian at the department for about two years, was tasked with enforcing the county's controversial rabies policy after she had protested the policy in the past. She claims she became the subject of intimidation and harassment at the hands of Health Department officials for speaking out and that her termination was the end result of that treatment. Health department officials flatly deny Koblinsky was harassed and say her termination had nothing to do with her stance on the rabies policy. On February 25th, Koblinsky allegedly had an argument with a fellow health department employee over paperwork she had submitted. Her supervisor, who overheard the dispute, ordered Koblinsky to meet with her in her office, but Koblinsky repeatedly refused without her union representative at her side. She was sent home for the day and later fired. Koblinsky challenged her termination in front of the Public Employees Grievance Board and won. Last month, Administrative Law Judge William McGinley ordered the health department to reinstate her with full back pay, ruling Koblinsky was denied her statutory rights as a public employee.
The Putnam County Health Department has decided to reinstate Barbara Koblinsky who was fired in February for insubordination after refusing to meet with a supervisor without her union representative present. Koblinsky, who worked as a registered sanitarian at the department for about two years, was tasked with enforcing the county's controversial rabies policy after she had protested the policy in the past. She claims she became the subject of intimidation and harassment at the hands of Health Department officials for speaking out and that her termination was the end result of that treatment. Health department officials flatly deny Koblinsky was harassed and say her termination had nothing to do with her stance on the rabies policy. On February 25th, Koblinsky allegedly had an argument with a fellow health department employee over paperwork she had submitted. Her supervisor, who overheard the dispute, ordered Koblinsky to meet with her in her office, but Koblinsky repeatedly refused without her union representative at her side. She was sent home for the day and later fired. Koblinsky challenged her termination in front of the Public Employees Grievance Board and won. Last month, Administrative Law Judge William McGinley ordered the health department to reinstate her with full back pay, ruling Koblinsky was denied her statutory rights as a public employee.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:38 PM 
