Former CEO John Plotkin should not have been fired by SAIF, Oregon’s state workers’ comp fund. That’s the ruling by a Marion County Oregon Judge, and led to SAIF’s Board of Directors offering Plotkin $1.7 million as a settlement.
It isn’t clear if Plotkin has agreed to the settlement offer; published reports do not confirm his assent.
Judge Claudia Burton’s ruling requires SAIF to give Plotkin his job back – but SAIF already has a CEO, and the Board appears extremely reluctant to return Plotkin to the corner office.
SAIF’s summary firing of Plotkin was not only illegal, it was grossly unfair to Plotkin, SAIF employees, SAIF policyholders, and the taxpayers of Oregon. The evidence clearly shows – and the Judge agreed – that his firing was motivated by SAIF’s internal politics, the ambitions of Board members, and not by anything Plotkin did or didn’t do.
No, the case against Plotkin was fabricated, comprised of misquotes, misattributions, and outright lies on the part of his antagonists. The Board’s conduct was appalling at best.
I won’t restate the many issues with the Board, the history of this disgusting affair, or the damage this has done to employee morale at SAIF; Bob Wilson has masterfully documented this case. I encourage you to read his view on SAIF’s offer.
What does this mean for you?
Justice can be done, but Plotkin’s case demonstrates it can require a lot of money, an ocean of resolve and patience, and a lot of vocal support from other stakeholders.
