Whitman County Rural Library
Reporting
Improper Governmental Action and
Protecting
Employees against Retaliation
It is the policy of the Whitman County Rural
Library (1) to encourage reporting by its employees of improper governmental action
taken by Whitman County Rural Library officers or employees and (2) to protect
Whitman County Rural Library employees who have reported improper governmental
actions in accordance with Whitman County Rural Library’s policies and
procedures.
As used in this policy, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
1.
“Improper governmental action” means any action
by a Whitman County Rural Library officer or employee:
A. That
is undertaken in the performance of the officer’s or employee’s official
duties, whether or not the action is within the scope of the employee’s
employment; and
B. That
(i) is in violation of any federal, state, or local law or rule (ii) is an
abuse of authority, (iii) is of substantial and specific danger to the public health
or safety or (iv) is a gross waste of public funds.
“Improper governmental
action” does not include personnel actions, including employee grievances,
complaints, appointments, promotions, transfers, assignments, reassignments,
reinstatements, restorations, reemployments, performance evaluations,
reductions in pay, dismissals, suspensions, demotions, violations of collective
bargaining or civil service laws, alleged violations of labor agreements or
reprimands.
2. “Retaliatory action” means any adverse change in the terms and conditions of Whitman County Rural Library employee’s employment.
3.
“Emergency” means a circumstance that if not
immediately changed may cause damage to persons or property.
Whitman County Rural
Library employees who become aware of improper governmental actions should
raise the issue first with their supervisor.
If requested by the supervisor, the employee shall submit a written
report to the supervisor, or to some person designated by the supervisor, stating
in detail the basis for the employee’s belief that an improper governmental
action has occurred. Where the employee
reasonably believes the improper governmental action involves his or her
supervisor, the employee may raise the issue directly with the Human Resources
Director of Whitman County Rural Library.
In the case of an
emergency, where the employee believes that damage to persons or property may
result if action is not taken immediately, the employee may report the improper
governmental action directly to the appropriate government agency with the
responsibility for investigating the improper action.
The supervisor, or the
Library Director, as the case may be, shall take prompt action to assist
Whitman County Rural Library is properly investigating the report of improper
governmental action. Whitman County Rural Library officers and employees
involved in the investigation shall keep the identity for reporting employees
confidential to the extent possible under law, unless the employee authorizes
the disclosure of governmental action shall be advised of a summary of the
results of the investigation, except that personnel actions taken as a result
of the investigation may be kept confidential.
Whitman County Rural
Library Employees may report information about improper governmental action
directly to the appropriate government agency with responsibility for
investigating the improper action if the Whitman County Rural Library employee
reasonably believes that an adequate investigation was not undertaken by
Whitman County Rural Library to determine whether an improper governmental
action occurred, or that insufficient action has been taken by Whitman County
Rural Library to address improper governmental action or that for other reasons
that improper governmental action is likely to recur.
Whitman County Rural
Library employees who fail to make a good-faith attempt to follow Whitman
County Rural Library’s procedures in reporting improper governmental actions
shall not receive the protections provided by the Whitman County Rural Library
in these procedures.
Whitman County Rural
Library officials and employees are prohibited from taking retaliatory action
against a Whitman County Rural Library Human Resources Director. Whitman County Rural Library officials and
supervisors shall take appropriate action to investigate and address complaints
of retaliation.
Employees who believe
that they have been retaliated against for reporting an improper governmental
action should advise their supervisor or the Whitman County Rural Library Human
Resources Director. Whitman County Rural Library officials and supervisors
shall take appropriate action to investigate and address complaints of
retaliation.
If the employee’s
supervisor or Library Director, as the case may be, does not satisfactorily
resolve a Whitman County Rural Library employee’s complaint that he or she has
been retaliated against in violation of this policy, the Whitman County Rural
Library employee may obtain protection under this policy and pursuant to the
state law by providing a written notice to the Library Board of Trustees:
a. Specifies
the alleged retaliatory action and
b. Specifies
the relief requested.
Whitman County Rural
Library employees shall provide a copy of their written charge to the Library
Board of Trustees no later than thirty (30) days after the delivery of the
charge to Whitman County Rural Library, the Whitman County Rural Library
employee may request a hearing before a state administrative law judge to
establish that a retaliatory action occurred and to obtain appropriate relieve
provided by law. An employee seeking a
hearing should deliver the request for hearing to the Library Director within
the earlier of either fifteen (15) days of delivery of the Whitman County Rural
Library’s response to the charge of retaliatory action, or forty-five (45) days
of delivery of the charge of retaliation to Whitman County Rural Library for
response.
Upon receipt of request
for hearing, Whitman County Rural Library shall apply within five (5) working
days to the State Office Administrative Hearings for an adjudicative proceeding
before an administrative law judge:
PO Box 42488
Olympia, WA
98504-2488
360-664-8717
Whitman County Rural
Library will consider any recommendation provided by the administrative law
judge that the retaliator be suspended with or without pay, or dismissed.
Responsibilities
Following is a list of agencies responsible for
enforcing federal, state, and local laws and investigating other issues
involving improper governmental action. Employees having questions about these
agencies or procedures for reporting improper governmental action are
encouraged to contact the Library Director.
Whitman County Rural
Library
509-397-4366
Whitman County
Prosecutor
P.O. Box 30
Colfax, WA 99111
509-397-6250
Whitman County Public
Health Department
Administrator
N. 310 Main
Colfax, WA 91111
509-397-6280
Whitman County Sheriff
P.O. Box 470
Colfax, WA 99111
509-397-6266
Attorney General’s
Office
1125 Washington St. SE
PO Box 40100
Olympia, WA 98504-0100
360-753-6200
Human Rights
Commission
Great Western Building,
#416
W. 905 Riverside
Spokane, WA 99201-1099
509-456-4473
State Auditor’s Office
Legislative Building
P.O. Box 40021
Olympia, WA 98504-0021
360-902-0360
State Department of
Ecology
Eastern Regional
Office
4601 N. Monroe, Suite
202
Spokane, WA 99205
509-456-2926
Department of Labor
& Industries
Employment Standards
901 N. Monroe St.
Suite 100
Spokane, WA 99201
State Liquor Control
Board
Enforcement Office
111 N. Vista Road,
Suite 3d
Spokane, WA
509-625-5513
Department of Natural
Resources
P.O. Box 47001
Olympia, WA 98504-7001
360-902-1004
Department of
Agriculture
Office of Inspector
General
1000 2nd
Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
Alcohol Tobacco &
Firearms
Law Enforcement Office
920 W. Riverside Ave.
Spokane, WA 99201
509-353-2862
U.S. Attorney
3600 Seafirst Fifth
Ave. Plaza
Seattle, WA 98104
206-553-7970
Department of Commerce
2001 6th
Ave, Suite 650
Seattle, WA 98121
206-553-5615
Consumer Product
Safety commission
1111 3rd
Ave. 810
Seattle, WA 98101
206-553-5276
U.S. Customs Service
Office of Enforcement
1000 Second Avenue,
Suite 2300
Seattle, WA 98101
206-553-7531
U.S. Department of
Education
Office of the
Inspector General
915 Second Avenue
Seattle, WA 98174-1099
206-220-7800
Environmental
Protection Agency
Eastern Regional
Office
N. 4601 Monroe – Suite
202
Spokane, WA 99205-1295
Equal Employment
Opportunity commission
Federal Office
Building
909 First Ave – Suite
400
Seattle, WA 98104-1061
206-220-6883
Federal Emergency
Management Agency
Washington State
Emergency Mgmt. Division
Building 20, M/S:TA-20
Camp Murray, WA 98430-5122
253-512-7200
Federal Trade
Commission
Northwest Region
2896 Federal Building
915 Second Ave
Seattle, WA 99174
206-220-6363
General Services
Administration
PO Box 41000
Olympia, WA 98504-1000
360-902-7300
Department of Health
1112 SE Quince St.
PO Box 47890
Olympia, WA 98504-7890
360-236-4010
Department of Housing
& Urban Development
909 1st
Ave, Suite 200
Seattle, WA 98104-1000
206-220-5101
Interstate Commerce
Commission
1300 S. Evergreen Park
Drive SW
Olympia, WA 98504-7250
360-664-1160
Department of Interior
U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Services
Regional Director
8702 N. Division
Spokane, WA 99218
509-456-4082
Department of Justice
Drug Enforcement
Administration
1124 W. Riverside Ave,
Suite L300
Spokane, WA 99201
509-353-2964
Department of Labor
Occupational Safety
& Health (OSHA)
1111 Third Ave, Suite
715
Seattle, WA 98101-3212
206-553-5930
National
Transportation Safety Board
915 2nd
Ave.
Seattle, WA 98174
206-220-7754
Department of
Transportation
Office of Inspector
General
915 Second Ave. 664
Seattle, WA 98174
206-220-7754
Department of Treasury
Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco & Firearms
Seattle, WA 98101
206-220-6450
Department of Veterans
Affairs
Office of the
Inspector General
2030 9th
Ave. 210
Seattle, WA 98121
206-553-2706