Bismarck, North Dakota News

" I'm very curious about the timing of things. If Long had done/failed to do things with regard to his position, shouldn't he have been removed long ago? How interesting that these people have issues with their performance, revealed AFTER they file for whistleblower action. Sounds like there are may be some skeletons in Halvorson's closet - might be the next one that needs to be cleaned. "

" It's all a cover your own butt game now. I used to have respect for WSI. Not anymore - especially after the Long fiasco. They are going to bully him out the door one way or another. Remember - it's ND. They'll get away with it and will have their smug little faces all the way to the bank. "

" I laugh at #3 when the executive staff recalled on August 2007 a meeting that was held with Jim Long in October 2006 but this same staff can't remember the meeting she had with Romi Leingang or the "mistaken" legal advice she gave. What a crock of bull!!!!!!!!!! "

" Curious said he received many documents that were also given to Crystal Reid and he is now mad that she hasn't printed them. Sounds like curious fed some garbage to the Trib and is now furious that they won't shill for WSI. Maybe the Trib is actually protecting WSI from a defamation lawsuit. They pay premiums and probably don't want a huge judgment against the agency. Or maybe they can see through WSI's charade and aren't going to be used by them. The Trib is about reporting facts, not character assassination based on falsehoods. "

" The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Facts About Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual's employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.
Sexual harassment can occur in a variety of circumstances, including but not limited to the following:
 The victim as well as the harasser may be a woman or a man. The victim does not have to be of the opposite sex.
 The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, an agent of the employer, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or a non-employee.
 The victim does not have to be the person harassed but could be anyone affected by the offensive conduct.
 Unlawful sexual harassment may occur without economic injury to or discharge of the victim.
 The harasser's conduct must be unwelcome.
It is helpful for the victim to directly inform the harasser that the conduct is unwelcome and must stop. The victim should use any employer complaint mechanism or grievance system available.
"

" Verbal Warning – A coaching/counseling session that must be documented in e-mail format by the supervisor and e-mailed to the Human Resources Manager and carbon copied to the employee. This document will not be placed in the personnel file, but will be kept by Human Resources.

Would HR keep such a document if it involved them?

So from a harassment perspective, someone must be uncomfortable with the words/activities/etc., to be harassed. Yeah, like just because those involved were will to participate and weren't uncomfortable with such juvenile behavior, no one else was? When employees heard the laughter coming their way, they got out of area as fast as possible so they wouldn't have to put up with it. I wonder if that would be a sign they were uncomfortable. It seems the laughter has been replaced with scowling.

"

" It is hard to say Dr. Long was harassing someone if they were willing to participate in the activities. Now, I am not sure what all was going on, or not going on, but I heard it was evident. So from a harassment perspective, someone must be uncomfortable with the words/activities/etc., to be harassed.

Incidentally, the activities/words/etc. that apparently were going on should not have been going on in the workplace. Regardless of harassment or not, that type of activity must be outside of the office. I think that may be the issue regarding inappropriate behavior with subordinate(s). Not harassment. "

" Missing the boat...
I don't understand how all of the documentation can exist in the personnel file and not include these issues including "imminent separation" or the "allegations of sexual harassment". If Dr. Long had a problem accepting authority from the acting CEO, then why was the acting CEO's performance review of Dr. Long so glowing in its attempt to heap praise upon him? In fact, Halvorson wrote "Jim consistently puts forth a quality work product. Jim is an asset to the organization."

In my experience, either you are a good employee or you are not. At any rate, if Dr. Long was such a negative employee, those issues need to have been addressed in his personnel record. If Dr. Long truly was accused of sexual harassment, then that issue should have been addressed in the personnel file. At the very least, adequate disclosure of documentation regarding retraining for sexual harassment should be listed in the personnel file.

According to the Policy Handbook, which can be found on the WSI website: www.workforcesafety.com/rfp/references/PolicyHandbook.pdf - 2007-12-04, the following "Corrective Discipline Measures" may occur.
Verbal Warning – A coaching/counseling session that must be documented in e-mail
format by the supervisor and e-mailed to the Human Resources Manager and carbon
copied to the employee. This document will not be placed in the personnel file, but will
be kept by Human Resources. If further issues of a similar nature occur, a more severe reprimand will be done and this document will be attached.
Written Warning – Must be documented on a Performance Memo. This document will be placed in the personnel file along with all related verbal warnings.
Administrative Leave without pay
Termination
"

" Halvorson what a joke. You question whether you and others can trust Long and question his ability to work as a team member, along with saying he's defiant, when as the current status at WSI is that Halvorson isn't trusted along with other execs/managers. Halvorson, what kind of reprimands/boundary guidelines did you set in place for Tim Hutchings and his boundary issues? Did you ask Hutchings how he was going to remedy his issues? What's the status of the Fraud Hotline complaint filed against Sonja Nallie's accusations towards co-workers being non-christains if they talk to one another about issues at WSI? What about other inappropriate behaviour between general counsel regarding Long, touching/language? Just because you all didn't write one another up/filed complaints against one another within exec, but rather ganged up on Long, doesn't mean you're innocent of the same issues you're accusing Long of. You need to start walking your talk! "

" "one of the Tribune's own are now involved" do tell. Are you attacking the press again? At least you and your supporters in the Chamber that are enjoying their blood money (dividends) are consistent. Has MacIver ever address this issue without blaming the whole thing on the media?

Because Christal won't let you use her she is involved?

Keep up the good work Christal! You have been doing a great job. "

" Interesting that many of us at WSI received documents that this reporter received but she chooses only to use some of them now. Is it because now that one of the Tribune's own are now involved in this they have decided not to print any of this...very curious isn't it? How she is not posting everything she received? "

" Born last night -There are two sides to every story. Those who work at WSI know the truth. If the employees testified under oath, would people see the light? Or would they continue to believe what they want? Read between the lines.

When people in authority believe they can behave in any manner they like, but hold those they have authority over to the law, the people will eventually revolt. Actions speak louder than words every time. You probably weren't born last night but it does appear you are still sleeping.
"

" After reading this article I find it absolutly stunning about what the WSI untouchables continue to manufacture. Do they think that there is really a reasonable person that could believe that after all of this time and HR records posted for all to see with no negative comments only postive statement about job performance, they stumbled on this seperation agreement prepared before Jim Londfiled for whistle blower protection. I ask myself if there is really an attorney at WSI willing to testify under oath and risk their status as an officer of the court. But then when I look at other action by them the answer may be yes. What is the investigation status? The AG from Grand Forks is very silent. I see that the people at WSI think we the people were all born last night and cannot seel through this. "