Watkins v. Josephine County

Plaintiffs are current and former nonunion employees of defendant Josephine County. After the county commissioners passed a resolution in 2005 eliminating or reducing certain employee benefits, plaintiffs brought this action, asserting that the resolution breached their employment contract, impaired an obligation of contract in violation of Article I, section 21, of the Oregon Constitution, 1 and transgressed principles of promissory estoppel. They also sought class action certification, as well as damages and penalties for various alleged statutory violations. The county moved for summary…