Appeal of Pritchard

The petitioner, Michelle Pritchard, appeals the decision of the New Hampshire Personnel Appeals Board (the board), granting the department of labor’s (DOL) motion to dismiss the appeal of her layoff as untimely filed. Because the fifteen-day appeal period began to run when the petitioner was laid off, rather than when she received notice of the proposed layoff, we reverse and remand.

Because of operating budget deficits, former Governor Judd Gregg mandated that the DOL reduce its general fund budget by three and one half percent. The DOL responded to the mandate in part by notifying the…