Opinion ID: 1567336
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Whether McNeel should be awarded a career-ladder promotion to Social Worker Advanced and/or promoted to Area Social Worker Supervisor.

Text: ¶ 12. Prior to her termination in 1999, McNeel applied for both a career-ladder promotion [9] to the position of Social Worker Advanced and a promotion to the position of Area Social Worker Supervisor for the Winston County Department of Human Services. Such promotional opportunities were not reflected in the back pay that McNeel received from the MDHS. ¶ 13. Regarding the career-ladder promotion, Stewart testified that she informed McNeel, I cannot send in [your] application due to you having been a subject of investigation by Program Integrity, therefore, you are not eligible for the information I have received. You may send it in yourself and see what happens. Likewise, according to Jackson, McNeel was ineligible for the career-ladder promotion [b]ecause of the investigation, the disciplinary action[,] which culminated in her termination. Other than the investigation, Jackson testified that McNeel would have been qualified for the promotion. [10] At the hearing, Bill McNeel, McNeel's husband and a certified public accountant, was offered and accepted as an accounting expert. Among the exhibits offered and admitted over objection during his testimony was the Reconstruction of Social Worker Advanced Salary Based on Available Information. The calculations therein [11] provided that McNeel's total unpaid salary from November 1999 through May 2004 totaled $165,362.70, and when including eight percent interest compounded bi-weekly and a five percent late fee on all principal and interest, the total became $208,302.79. However, John W. O'Bryant, the regional director of the MDHS, testified that several individuals had been denied the career-ladder promotion because [t]he funding was not there. ¶ 14. As to the Area Social Worker Supervisor promotion, in October 1999, McNeel was on the list of eligibles along with five or six other individuals. Jackson testified that McNeel was considered for the position, but the promotion was ultimately given to Stewart. [12] McNeel countered that she was the most qualified applicant and [i]f not for the wrongful termination, I believe I would have been promoted to the position. ... ¶ 15. Section 5.04.13 of the Mississippi State Personnel Board Policy and Procedures Manual states that [a]n individual separated in good standing for reasons other than an authorized leave of absence may be re-employed into the same job class from which terminated. Miss. State Pers. Bd. Policy & Procedures Manual § 5.04.13 (emphasis added). It further provides that [t]he authorized salary for re-employment shall be no more than the current salary at the time of separation unless salary realignments were effected since the date of separation. Id. (emphasis added). However, according to the August 31, 2004, letter to Jackson of Janie Simpson, the Policy Director for the State Personnel Board, State Personnel Board policies do not specifically address reinstatements because the terms of a reinstatement would be decided by the appropriate court.  [13] (Emphasis added.) ¶ 16. The original order of the hearing officer  reinstated [McNeel] to her position, with back pay and benefits, as of the date of termination. ... (Emphasis added.) At the April 28, 2005, hearing, the hearing officer reiterated that McNeel was reinstated with back pay and all benefits. The benefits include any career ladder advancements that she would be entitled to, any position that she would have been eligible to ... any opportunity for promotion. Now, that apparently was not considered. (Emphasis added.) This finding was reflected in the EAB's determination that McNeel's back pay should have been calculated as DHS-Social Worker, who is entitled to every advancement... offered and granted to DHS-Social Workers during the period of time from November 1999 to and through April 2004. The EAB added that McNeel should be given consideration for any promotional opportunity to a County Director's position in Winston County. Subsequently, the November 20, 2007, order of the circuit court stated that the issue was remanded to the EAB for them to clarify what promotions or advancements [McNeel] was awarded, if any, by job title, and the specific pay rate from which ... the back pay that she was awarded is to be calculated. (Emphasis added.) ¶ 17. Because McNeel was reinstated, this Court finds the reemployment provisions in the Mississippi State Personnel Board Policy and Procedures Manual and the Mississippi State Employee Handbook inapplicable. According to Simpson's letter, the terms of a reinstatement would be decided by the appropriate court. The hearing officer's original order, affirmed by this Court, reinstated McNeel to her position with back pay and benefits. ... The nature of said back pay and benefits was clarified by the EAB to include every advancement ... offered and granted to DHS-Social Workers during the period of McNeel's wrongful termination and consideration for any promotional opportunity to a County Director's position in Winston County. ¶ 18. Under Mississippi Employee Appeals Board Administrative Rule 24(A), [t]he [EAB] may reinstate a prevailing party into employment with his or her responding agency and restore all his or her employee rights and benefits including back pay, medical leave and personal leave. Miss. Employee Appeals Board Administrative Rule 24(A) (emphasis added). This Court previously has determined that the EAB has the authority to award promotions and to declare a position vacant. See Miss. Empl. Sec. Comm'n v. Culbertson, 832 So.2d 519, 529-30 (Miss. 2002) (the EAB clearly had the authority to award promotions and back pay); Shird v. Miss. State Dep't of Health, 785 So.2d 275, 279 (Miss.2001) ([t]he Court of Appeals erred in not reversing and remanding this case to the EAB with directions to declare two vacancies at the Psychologist I position ... so that Cummins and Shird may properly be considered for the positions under the rules of the State Personnel Board); Tillmon v. Miss. State Dep't of Health, 749 So.2d 1017, 1022 (Miss.1999) ([b]y the plain reading of [Mississippi Code Annotated Section 25-9-131[ [14] ]], it is easily inferred that the EAB has the authority to declare the position vacant). Therefore, this Court agrees with the circuit court that this issue should be remanded back to the EAB for clarification of what pay increase(s) and/or advancement(s) were offered and granted to DHS-Social Workers similarly situated to McNeel but for her termination, and determine what, if any, pay increase(s) and/or advancement(s) McNeel would have been entitled to receive. Should the EAB determine that McNeel is entitled to any such pay increase(s) and/or advancement(s), the EAB shall order the MDHS to compensate her accordingly.