81-2707. Employee protections; preliminary finding of violation; hearings; relief authorized; appeal; presumption; attorney's fees.

(1) Upon receiving the Public Counsel's finding that a violation of section 81-2705 has occurred or is about to occur, the employee who raised the allegation may petition the State Personnel Board, personnel appeals board, or director or chief operating officer of the agency to hold a hearing to determine whether a violation of section 81-2705 has occurred or is about to occur. Upon the receipt of such a petition, the State Personnel Board, personnel appeals board, or director or chief operating officer of the agency shall within ninety days hold a hearing to determine whether a violation of section 81-2705 has occurred or is about to occur. If the finding transmitted by the Public Counsel pursuant to section 81-2706 includes a finding that the alleged violation of section 81-2705 has occurred or will occur within two years after the date the employee engaged in an action for which he or she is protected from retaliation pursuant to section 81-2705, the State Personnel Board, personnel appeals board, or director or chief operating officer of the agency may, without further proceedings, stay or reverse the personnel action until a hearing can be held to determine if a violation of section 81-2705 is contemplated or has occurred. In any case in which the personnel action is not stayed or reversed until a hearing is held pursuant to this subsection, the State Personnel Board, personnel appeals board, or director or chief operating officer of the agency shall within ten days of receipt of the employee's petition hold a hearing to determine whether a violation of section 81-2705 has occurred or is about to occur. In any case in which the personnel action is stayed or reversed pursuant to this subsection, the board, director, or chief operating officer shall within ninety days hold a hearing to determine whether a violation has occurred or is about to occur. The employee may be represented by counsel at such hearing.

(2) After determining that a violation has occurred, the State Personnel Board, personnel appeals board, or director or chief operating officer of the agency shall be authorized to grant backpay or other relief as it deems appropriate, including reasonable attorney's fees. The relief authorized in this subsection, including reasonable attorney's fees, shall be paid from funds of the agency in which the violation occurred.

(3) An employee or agency aggrieved by the decision rendered pursuant to subsection (2) of this section may appeal such decision. The appeal shall be in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. An employee prevailing on appeal shall receive reasonable attorney's fees incurred during the appeal and any previous hearings held on the matter appealed pursuant to this section.

(4) In any proceeding held pursuant to this section, if an employee establishes that a personnel action was taken against him or her after he or she submitted an allegation of wrongdoing or provided information to the Public Counsel, his or her investigators, employees, or agents, or an official in conjunction with a preliminary or formal investigation undertaken pursuant to section 81-2704, the personnel action shall be presumed to have been taken against such employee because of such allegation. Such presumption may be rebutted by appropriate evidence.

(5) No appeal by the state shall operate as a supersedeas of any judgment, decision, or order of a district court or the Court of Appeals in any matter relating to the enforcement of the State Government Effectiveness Act.

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