First Posted: 1/27/2015
OTTAWA — A visiting judge has been assigned to a case that the Putnam County administrator filed against his former employer, the county’s Educational Service Center.
Judge John Collier of Henry County was assigned to the case in place of Judge Randall Basinger because of a potential conflict of interest because the matter involves a county employee and a county agency.
Jackson Betscher filed the lawsuit a month ago against the governing board of the Putnam County Education Service Center seeking $18,372 for vacation time he said was entitled to be paid for under Ohio law, according to the lawsuit filed in Putnam County Common Pleas Court.
Betscher also is seeking attorney fees and expenses associated with the lawsuit.
A pretrial has been scheduled for March 24.
Betscher was paid $77,021 for the 2012-13 school year plus benefits to serve as the administrator for the service center for various programs including the summer and fall migrant education, and summer feeding program, according to the lawsuit.
The dispute arose after the superintendent of the center sent Betscher a letter saying because of “financial reasons” his contract was being suspended “in part” and his wage reduced. He was advised he would be laid off between January through April 2014, according to the lawsuit.
Betscher also was told he would no longer qualify for health insurance beginning Jan. 1, 2014, according to the lawsuit.
Betscher does not believe the reasons for reducing his salary and layoff were valid. The situation created a financial hardship for him and he had to find another job, according to the lawsuit.
He said he was entitled to 48.25 vacation days between April 5, 2011, and Dec. 31, 2013, and was not paid. He asked the center to pay him and was either denied or his request ignored, according to the lawsuit.
