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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><img width="229" height="74" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D311C5.028DBFF0"></b><b><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For Immediate Release<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">August 10, 2017<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">CONTACT: Charlie Burr, (971) 673-0788<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b>Avakian on Supreme Court ruling: Veterans deserve fair treatment and level playing field</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;text-autospace:none">
<i><span style="color:black">Ruling affirms BOLI Final Order in veterans’ preference case against Multnomah County<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">PORTLAND, OR</span></b><span style="color:black">—</span><a href="http://www.publications.ojd.state.or.us/docs/S064109.pdf">The Oregon Supreme Court today upheld</a><span style="color:black"> a
</span><a href="https://www.oregon.gov/boli/Legal/BOLI%20Final%20Orders%20issued%20after%20January%201,%202014/Multnomah_County_Sheriff's_Office_01-14.pdf">BOLI civil rights decision</a><span style="color:black"> that found that the Multnomah County Sheriff’s
Office failed to properly credit a disabled veteran’s military service under the state’s veterans’ hiring preference law.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Sgt. Rod Edwards filed the civil rights complaint against the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office in 2013 after unsuccessfully applying for a promotion to lieutenant.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Under Oregon’s veterans’ preference law, public agencies hiring for civil service positions must give special consideration to veterans who meet the minimum qualifications and any special qualifications for a position.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">An earlier BOLI investigation determined that the county did not have a method of ranking applicants with numeric scoring, nor did it have a written policy describing how it would apply the legal hiring requirements.
BOLI rejected the county’s argument that the veterans’ preference law applies only during the initial screening, not throughout the hiring process. The agency awarded Edwards $50,000 in damages.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Last year, an Oregon Court of Appeals decision affirmed BOLI’s Final Order. In response to the Oregon Supreme Court decision today affirming
</span><span style="color:black">the ruling, Commissioner Avakian issued the following statement:</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify"><b><span style="color:black">Today’s ruling is a win for veterans and their right to have a level playing field when they return from service and apply for work at home. We’re committed to ensuring
that Oregon veterans have access to career advancement so that they can continue serving and contributing to communities around the state.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Public agencies seeking help navigating Oregon’s civil rights protections and veterans’ preference guidance can contact the agency’s Technical Assistance for Employers Program
</span><span style="color:black">at (971) 673-0824</span><span style="color:black">. Further guidance on Oregon’s veterans’ preference law can be found
</span><a href="http://www.oregon.gov/boli/SiteAssets/Lists/FeaturedContent/EditForm/here.pdf">here</a><span style="color:black">.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">For more information about BOLI’s efforts to protect workplaces and the civil rights of all Oregonians, visit
</span><a href="http://www.oregon.gov/BOLI">http://www.oregon.gov/BOLI</a><span style="color:black">.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="color:black">###<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Charlie Burr<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Communications Director<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">800 NE Oregon, Ste. 1050<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Portland, OR 97232<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tel: 971-673-0788 <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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