Department of Corrections v. Personnel Appeals Board

The Department of Corrections (DOC) permanently demoted Debra Baker, a mental health supervisor, for six incidents of alleged misconduct. Baker appealed to the Washington State Personnel Appeals Board (PAB), which sustained only two of the charges and modified the discipline to four months of temporary demotion. DOC sought review by filing a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the superior court. The superior court found the PAB’s decision arbitrary and capricious as to four of the charges and remanded for the PAB to modify its sanction. On a second review, the superior court affirmed PAB’s…