Court Opinion

ID: 9713520
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 05:16:46.616893+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:19.122584
License: Public Domain

Krivosha, C.J.,
dissenting.
I find that I must respectfully dissent from the majority in this case. I do so not because I disagree with the majority’s declaration as to the law but, rather, as to its application of the facts in this case. As amply noted by the majority, the record in this case establishes the fact that the appellant was indeed “least qualified” to perform the tasks for which he was hired. The record further discloses that the City did not have the necessary courage to take the appropriate action and discharge the employee for cause but, rather, relied upon a makeshift argument concerning a reduction in funds. It is difficult, if not impossible, to imagine that one who rose to the rank of supervisor and had seniority near the very top of the list among 15 employees was not *159entitled to be “bumped down” to the lowest job in the department. If, indeed, everyone in the department was more qualified than the appellant, it would appear that he should have long ago been discharged for cause. My reason for objecting to the action taken by the majority is that I do not believe that an ordinance of the type involved herein should be used as a means of relieving city management of its responsibility to manage, or of permitting city management to avoid the responsibility of proving cause, by creating a “reduction in funds” or a “reduction in work.” I believe that the City has a direct responsibility to manage its affairs and to discharge employees for cause when such cause exists. The right of an employee to be laid off in reverse order of total service, pursuant to the provisions of § 7.04.835 of the Omaha Municipal Code (1959), is totally and completely made ineffective when we permit a municipality to discharge a supervisor on the basis of “reduction in funds” or “reduction in work” because the city maintains that the supervisor who has been employed for a number of years is less qualified than any other person employed in the department.