State panel admits Selah not told of bias findings

Contrary to earlier statements, the Washington State Human Rights Commission now says it failed to give the city of Selah results of its investigation into a discrimination claim.

When contacted for comment on the case last week, city officials denied knowing about the report, which looked into complaints from a former city employee. The commission's executive director, Marc Brenman, insisted his agency had mailed the results, which upheld complaints from a former employee, Janine Beghtol.

When Brenman discovered the report had not been mailed, he phoned City Supervisor Frank Sweet and City Attorney Bob Noe to apologize. Sweet said he appreciated the gesture.

"I thought it was real nice. We're glad he admitted it," said Sweet, adding the city still strongly objects to the investigation's findings.

Beghtol contends she was fired as a police clerk and dispatcher because of post-surgical complications, which prompted her to seek 12 weeks of unpaid medical leave allowable under the Family Medical Leave Act.

Her doctors cleared her to return to light desk duty before the medical leave expired in late October 2007. But before she could do so, she was told the city could no longer hold her job for her.

The commission's finding has been strenuously denied by the city, which contends Beghtol's job was cut for budget reasons. The city is planning to ask the commission to reconsider its findings.

If the results stand, the city will be asked to negotiate a settlement that likely would include financial damages for Beghtol, staff training and changes to city policies. The case would be forwarded to the state Attorney General's Office for prosecution if mediation fails.

In its report, the commission found there was "reasonable cause" to believe Selah discriminated against Beghtol because the city didn't attempt to clarify her return-to-work date and because it dismissed her before her leave expired.

* Erin Snelgrove can be reached at 577-7684 or at esnelgrove@yakimaherald.com.

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