Opinion ID: 2264014
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Increase In Peterson's Seasonal Layoff Period

Text: In 1999, shortly before Peterson transferred into the Forest Stewardship program, his position was reclassified as seasonal. Most of the Division's employees are seasonal. Seasonal status means that the Division has full discretion to determine the period of employment that a particular employee will work each year. In its official memorandum notifying Peterson of this change, the Division explained that the change in position status was not performance-related but was solely due to a lack of funding. The Division's Stewardship program is entirely funded by federal grants. As a result of this reclassification, Peterson was eligible for non-competitive layoff recall to full-time positions for three years, but Peterson did not exercise these rights for available positions. Although Peterson was technically a seasonal employee and had not been returned to full-time status, he was provided with year-round employment for several years following the reclassification of his position because of available funds in the budget. But each year the Division sent Peterson a memorandum reminding him that he remained subject to seasonal layoffs. In November 2005 the Division informed Peterson that he would be subject to a seasonable layoff from January 16 to 31, 2006 a period of just over two weeks. Peterson's layoff period was increased to one month for the 2007 fiscal year. In support of its motion for summary judgment, DNR provided an affidavit from the forestry resources program manager, Martha Welbourn-Freeman, stating that the increase in layoff time was due to a decrease in the level of federal funding for the Stewardship program and that Peterson's layoff was extended to six months in 2008.