Arbitrator Rules that Educational Service District Violated the Contract by Failing to Treat Travel Time as Work Time

The Linn-Benton-Lincoln Education Service District provides services to 12 school districts across three counties. The majority of its certified employees are itinerant, providing services at various schools within the ESD. Most are headquartered in Albany. Travel time to school sites ranges from 15 minutes from headquarters to 2 hours away. Under past practice, travel time […]

Naturopathic Physicians and Their Patients File Discrimination Lawsuit

BHMK filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of naturopathic physicians and their patients. The lawsuit alleges that two insurance companies—Health Net Health Plan of Oregon, Inc., and American Specialty Health Group, Inc.—violated the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) by discriminating against naturopathic physicians. The ACA mandates non-discriminatory health care with the goal […]

Arbitrator Rules that College Violated Contract Complaint Procedures

As part of his union duties, the Lane Community College Education Association (LCCEA) President sat on several College Councils, including the Diversity Council.  In 2013 and early 2014 the Diversity Council was working on a cultural diversity training program which proposed required training for all LCCEA Faculty.  The LCCEA president objected to the imposition of […]

Retired Fire Fighters Win Increased Pension Benefits

Portland Fire Fighters are covered by the Portland Fire & Police Disability & Retirement (FPDR) Fund.  The pension benefits of fire fighters who retired under an old FPDR pension system known as “FPDR One” were calculated based on current top step fire fighter base wages.  After the Portland Fire Fighters Association negotiated an “apparatus operator” […]

Court Approves $2 million Settlement in Class Action Wage Lawsuit

BHMK in collaboration with attorneys from the Oregon Nurses Association successfully settled the class action lawsuit of Thanane v. Providence Health & Services – Oregon. The lawsuit alleged that Providence violated state and federal laws by withholding wages from employees. Specifically, BHMK attorneys argued that Providence managers fraudulently altered employee timecards to avoid payment of […]

Oregon Supreme Court Protects PERS Benefits

For over two decades Greg Hartman has represented a coalition of public sector labor unions in protecting the rights of members under Oregon’s public employee retirement system. This representation has involved not only litigation but multiple appearances before the Oregon legislature as well as before the Public Employee Retirement Board. Greg has handled several cases […]