A fired Revenue Department employee is claiming unemployment benefits while pursuing reinstatement to his job.
The Kansas Department of Revenue temporary worker who revealed that tax payment checks were being plucked from files intended for storage or shredding has applied for unemployment as he appeals dismissal from his job.
Daniel Copp of Auburn, who told the Journal-World last month about his experiences working at the Revenue Department's warehouse, was fired by the temporary agency that hired him for the state after he removed a steno pad from the warehouse.
The steno pad, Copp said, was used by temporary employees like himself to keep track of checks that passed completely through revenue's tax processing system without being removed for deposit. The checks either would have been stored or shredded if the workers had not found them. The workers were not trained for this job, Copp said.
Copp's appeal for reinstatement is being considered by the state Civil Service Board. Copp's attorney, Pantaleon Florez Jr. of Topeka, said he plans to tell the board in a letter today that Copp, although a temporary worker, is considered an unclassified employee under the state whistleblower law.
The board has questioned whether it has jurisdiction to consider Copp's appeal because he is a temporary employee. If the board rejects Copp's claim to be an unclassified worker, Florez said, Copp will have to decide on his next move, which may include a lawsuit.
"That's not usually my first option," Florez said. He declined to reveal what he thinks Copp should do if the board decides he's not covered by the whistleblower law.
As he waits for the Civil Service Board to act on his appeal, Copp is keeping occupied with work on the Auburn City Council and by helping his wife publish the local weekly newspaper.
-- Erwin Seba's phone message number is 832-7145. His e-mail address is eseba@ljworld.com.
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