Crystal R. Reid

Bismarck Tribune

The public battle between a state workers' compensation whistleblower and the agency continued, after the agency released another letter chiding the whistleblower's actions and requesting further clarification on several issues.

John Halvorson, interim CEOof Workforce Safety and Insurance, responded to Jim Long, chief of support services of the agency who was put on paid administrative leave in mid-November.

Long had requested information regarding his employment status, to which WSI replied on Jan. 31; the reply requested Long explain how he would repair broken employee-employer relationships, as well as explain perceived poor management and unprofessional conduct.

Long refuted the allegations in a letter on Monday, saying they were unfounded and defending his decisions to release information to the public.

In Halvorson's newest letter, dated Wednesday, he contends Long did little to satisfy their concerns and asked him to specifically address several more.

Long said he will reply within the five-day deadline given by Halvorson, adding that the letter was hard to read because it contained information that he'd never seen before.

"You see a lot of things in there which I would consider to be defamatory,"he said.

WSI provided the Tribune with further documentation of alleged performance issues, including a separation agreement which may have been drafted on or around Oct. 19, shortly after Long spoke with the Bureau of Criminal Investigations and a few days before Long filed for whistleblower protection.

Long said he had never seen that separation agreement, although Halvorson made references to Long's "imminent" termination.

Read the letter by clicking here.