Among the positions the arbitrator said must be reopened are the acting chief probation officers in both Hampden Superior Court and Hampshire Superior Court.
SPRINGFIELD – The state Trial Court will now move forward with reopening 10 Probation Department jobs, including one each from Hampshire and Hampden Counties, a spokesperson said Tuesday.
Joan Kenney, speaking for the Trial Court, said, “The Trial Court will move forward with a re-selection process and will ensure that it is totally merit-based.”
An arbitrator on Monday ordered the state Probation Department to reopen 10 jobs after determining that former leaders of the agency improperly promoted less qualified, but politically connected candidates.
Among the positions the arbitrator said must be reopened are the acting chief probation officers in both Hampden Superior Court and Hampshire Superior Court.
But since Stephen P. Ashe left the position of acting chief probation officer at Hampden Superior Court to become Chief Probation Officer at Chicopee District Court a month ago, he will not be at risk for losing the Superior Court position in a re-selection.
Kenney said the arbitrator found that the process followed in hiring for the 10 positions was not consistent with the collective bargaining agreement. The arbitration award limits the re-selection to the individuals who previously applied for the position, she said.
Christopher Hoffman is on unpaid leave as action chief probation officer in Hampshire Superior Court.
Hoffman was removed from his job in October 2011 and arrested two months later on one charge each of intimidating and harassing a witness in an attempt to obstruct a federal investigation. A criminal complaint alleges Hoffman made threatening and intimidating remarks to a woman whom he formally supervised.
Regional Supervisor Francine Ryan is currently overseeing operations at the Hampshire Superior Court Probation Department in addition to her other duties, Probation Department spokesperson Coria Holland.
Holland said Orlando Zayas, first assistant chief probation officer, is overseeing the Hampden Superior Court Probation Department. Holland said because there is no acting chief probation officer in that office, no one will risk losing a post in the re-selection.
Kenney said, “In its submission to the arbitrator the Trial Court indicated that its ‘overriding interest is in the effective operation of the court system, including the Probation Department, and the fair treatment of those who work in the system.’”
“The Trial Court does not condone and will not defend any improprieties in hiring or promotion practices. With this decision, we are still addressing well-documented issues of impropriety and injustice that occurred in the Probation Department and we support the arbitrator’s decision,” she said.