Opinion ID: 1989368
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: proceedings before cir

Text: In its petition, the Union alleged that the County knew that the discharged employees were union organizers and adherents and laid them off, in violation of § 48-824(2)(a) through (d). In its answer, the County denied the allegations and responded by stating that it repeatedly informed the Union during the CBA negotiations that four positions would be eliminated and that the CBA authorized the County to lay off bargaining unit members without cause. Otoe County Highway Superintendent Robert D. Fleming and the foremen conducted performance evaluations of all the road department employees in March 1996 and presented those evaluations, ranked by score, to the county commissioners. The County did not reveal these evaluations to the discharged employees. A road department personnel policy supplement, executed in 1993, provided for employee review of and comment on individual evaluations. The discharged employees' evaluation scores were at the low end of the ranking. The county commissioners each recommended one employee to be laid off, citing various factors such as job evaluations, lack of skills, and complaints from taxpayers. The CIR concluded that Fleming and the foremen did not participate in the layoff process. The record reflects that Fleming and the foremen performed the March 1996 evaluations and that Fleming tabulated the results for the county commissioners. Fleming and a foreman testified that they did not recommend any individual be discharged. Richard W. Kuenning, a road department foreman, testified that he did not recommend Meyer's termination from employment, although Kuenning later testified that after the evaluation list was submitted, he recommended Meyer and two other employees (not involved in this appeal) be terminated from employment.