Opinion ID: 1262088
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Current Grievance

Text: In the Spring of 1999, Mrs. Washington was informed that, based on the Crock decision, the Board was going to take action that would result in a loss of the experience credit that had been included in the terms of her contract since she was first hired in 1979. In letters dated March 17, 1999, from the Superintendent of the Harrison County Schools, both Appellants were notified that their contracts were going to be terminated and that new contracts would be issued that excluded their respective experience credits. [6] Appellants were both advised that the purpose for the change was the need to maintain uniformity in the salary schedules paid to aides and that they were entitled to a hearing, upon request, before the Board on March 29, 1999. The record suggests that both Appellants had a hearing with the Board at 1:30 on March 29, 1999, and that later that same afternoon, the Board voted to approve the Superintendent's motions that Appellants' contracts be terminated and new ones issued without providing for any experience credits. In letters dated April 1, 1999, Appellants were notified of the Board's actions with regard to their contracts. Appellants initiated a joint grievance on April 12, 1999, contesting the termination of their contracts and the issuance of new contracts for the purpose of eliminating the experience credit previously granted to them. Following the level two hearing, which took place on August 31, 1999, a written decision denying the grievance was entered on October 13, 1999. See W.Va.Code § 18-29-4 (1995) (Repl.Vol.1999) (discussing procedural levels of grievance process). Appellants opted to bypass level three and proceeded to level four of the grievance process. On the scheduled date for the level four hearing, December 10, 1999, the parties agreed to submit the matter based upon the record developed at the level two proceedings. By ruling dated February 10, 2000, ALJ Denise Spatafore issued a decision denying the grievance and concluding that [t]he termination of Grievants' contracts, and their replacement with modified contracts without prior experience credit, did not violate any law, policy, rule, regulation, or written agreement. Upon review, the circuit court agreed with the ALJ and concluded, by order entered October 17, 2000, that the Board acted lawfully in terminating Appellants' respective contracts based on prospective budgetary concerns regarding the financial effects of granting experience credits to all aides employed by the county. Through this appeal, Mrs. Washington and Mrs. Crock seek a reversal of the lower court's order.