County Appeals Decision

Athens County (Ohio) officials have appealed a judge’s ruling to reinstate former dispatcher Warren Ferguson, who was fired in Nov. 2005 after allegations he was intoxicated at work and sexually harassed a female co-worker. An arbitrator ruled earlier this year last that Ferguson was a “troubled employee” because of an alcohol and drug abuse problem, and because his wife was suffering health problems at the time. The county then appealed to a county court judge that the arbitrator ignored certain provisions of the union contract, and mistakenly took into account Ferguson’s non-work life conditions. However, the judge upheld the arbitrator’s decision last month. Now the county has filed an appeal of the judge’s decision with the federal 4th District Court of Appeals.