Opinion ID: 1280588
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Backpay

Text: With regard to the issue of backpay, we do not reinstate the administrative law judge's finding that backpay is appropriate. While the Appellants' initial acceptance of the 240-day contract did not preclude them from later filing a grievance based upon the absence of uniformity, we find that their acceptance of the 240-day contract and performance of duties thereunder renders backpay inappropriate. We appreciate that the ordinary and usual practice in cases of continuing discrimination is to permit recovery of back pay for up to one year prior to the filing of the grievance. Yet, we find some merit in the Board's argument regarding the Appellants' acceptance of the 240-day contract, insofar as such acceptance indicates a general satisfaction with the offered terms of employment. We are not persuaded that in all these circumstances this discrimination represented an intentional effort by the Board to deprive these employees of appropriate compensation and benefits. The multiple employment periods, ranging from 200 to 261-day employees, common in school service personnel employment, can easily be seen as providing the Boards of Education a free hand in setting the number of days of employment contracts. The discrepancies in the 240 and 261-day contract benefits, existent in Wood County and perhaps other counties, suggests that this absence of uniformity was more accidental than intentional. This Court endeavors to correct the uniformity error, with the recognition that the 240 and 261-day contracts are substantially similar but not identical. Based upon the unique circumstances of this case, we decline to grant back pay, except from the date of the initial favorable decision by the administrative law judge at Level IV on May 19, 2000. Otherwise, only prospective application of our decision is warranted.