Arbitrator to Erie County: Give Dulaney his job back

PERKINS TWP. — An arbitrator couldn't fully agree with a decision in which, last year, Erie County commissioners fired an employee who allegedly showed a pattern of insubordination.So he rendered a split decision in the case involving Jason Dulaney, who previously worked for Erie County's environmental services department. Dulaney learned about his termination in a letter dated June 28, 2018.Dulaney lost his job because he, on multiple occasions, didn't follow proper protocols, confronted a supervisor and ignored orders from a superior, according to documents. More specifically, in March 2018, a supervisor filed a complaint against Dulaney because it supposedly took him 16 works days to paint an 8-foot-long pipe.Patrick McDonald, the case's arbitrator, issued a ruling which offered some sort of compromise, or middle ground, for both parties:• Siding with the county: Dulaney must retroactively serve about a six-month unpaid suspension, starting from his firing date up until Jan. 1, 2019.• Siding with Dulaney: Erie County commissioners must reinstate Dulaney to his job and provide him back pay dating back to Jan. 1, 2019. The reinstatement, additionally, must occur by July 29."The parties to this dispute are to meet as soon as possible to discuss any differences between what the grievant, Mr. Dulaney, was being paid in terms of wages and benefits versus his interim employment with the city of Lorain," McDonald wrote.Dulaney makes about $60,000 a year.Local officials want to review the decision amongst themselves and figure out some sort of resolution."We will be working with our legal counsel and human resources to come up with the best situation for the department of environmental services," county commissioner Matt Old said.Dulaney referred all comments to his union representation, Adam Maguire."We are pleased with the outcome of winning this case," Maguire said. "It doesn't come as a surprise to the union that we won the case. We were expecting to win."Dulaney also serves as a Perkins school board member. It doesn't appear his termination impacted his elected position or standing whatsoever.For his services, McDonald required a payment of about $5,000, evenly split between Erie County and Delaney's union.Reach reporter Andy Ouriel at ouriel@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @AndyOuriel.After being fired in mid-2018 for allegedly showing a pattern of insubordination, an arbitrator ruled Erie County commissioners must reinstate Jason Dulaney to his position in the environmental services department.