Employee returning to PUC after being fired

Monday, Oct. 25, 1999 | 9:57 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- After a five-year battle William Stanley is returning to work for the state Public Utilities Commission. Stanley was fired for disruptive and threatening behavior toward other employees.

Stanley has been hired as assistant staff counsel at the commission, ending his court fight to be reinstated.

He was supervising staff economist for 10 years for the state Public Service Commission, which is now named the Utilities Commission. In the early 1990s Stanley alleged that another staff member had given false testimony in a case involving a rate reduction for Nevada Power Co.

Stanley also accused two of his superiors of prompting the false testimony. An internal investigation was conducted that found no evidence of improper conduct. He was fired after one superior said his behavior was "erratic and unpredictable" and other employees felt threatened by him.

Stanley contended he was dismissed because he was a "whistleblower" who brought to light unethical conduct by his superiors. He appealed his firing to a state hearing officer and lost. That was appealed to District Judge Mike Griffin of Carson City, who ruled in February that Stanley engaged in "disruptive behavior and did not perform his job in accordance with expectations."

The judge said the firing was not retaliatory for Stanley making the allegations against his superiors.

In the meantime, Stanley went to law school and gained his degree. His appeal proceeded to the Nevada Supreme Court.

Despite winning at the hearing officer and District Court level, the PUC agreed to an out-of-court settlement and the appeal was dismissed last week by the Supreme Court.

Stanley has been hired as assistant staff counsel. PUC Chairman Don Soderberg said there was a vacancy on the staff, and Richard McIntire, director of regulatory operations, felt Stanley would be an asset because of his past knowledge of the utility industry.