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

Heading: Mrs. Crock

Text: Mrs. Crock was first employed by the Board in February 1998 as an Aide II. [2] Based on the fact that she did not receive an experience credit upon her hiring, Mrs. Crock instituted a grievance proceeding in March 1998 pursuant to West Virginia Code § 18-29-3 (1992) (Repl.Vol.1999). In support of her position, Mrs. Crock cited the provisions of West Virginia Code § 18A-4-5b (1990) (Repl. Vol 2001), which require uniformity for all salaries, rates of pay, benefits, increments or compensation for all persons... performing like assignments and duties within the county. By granting Mrs. Washington experience credit and denying her such a credit, Mrs. Crock argued that the uniformity provision contained in West Virginia Code § 18A-4-5b was violated. [3] After determining that the Board does not have a policy addressing whether service personnel are entitled to experience credit for outside employment, the ALJ found that [g]rievant's prior experience is directly related to her ability to provide services as an aide to a student with cerebral palsy. The ALJ concluded that the Board's failure to grant Grievant [Mrs. Crock] the credit for salary purposes constitutes discrimination in view of the grant of an experience credit to Mrs. Washington. Accordingly, the ALJ ruled that the uniformity provisions of West Virginia Code § 18A-4-5b required the granting of the experience credit to Mrs. Crock. [4] As a result of the decision reached in this matter (hereinafter referred to as the Crock decision), Mrs. Crock was awarded an experience credit of ten years based on her pre-Board employment with the nursing home. This decision was affirmed by both the West Virginia Education and State Employees Grievance Board and the Circuit Court of Harrison County. [5]