A jury in Baker County Circuit Court on Thursday, March 20, awarded Jason Bybee, a former Baker City firefighter, $200,000 in damages in his civil lawsuit against Baker City and former city manager Jonathan Cannon.

The jury found that the city failed to make reasonable accommodations to Bybee after he went on medical leave after contracting COVID-19 while treating a local resident on an emergency call on Oct. 26, 2020. The jury awarded Bybee $100,000 in economic damages and $60,000 in noneconomic damages for regarding the city’s actions. Cannon fired Bybee on Feb. 7, 2022. He filed the lawsuit, seeking $800,000 in damages, in August 2023.

The jury also found that Cannon aided or abetted in the unlawful employment practice, and awarded Bybee $40,000 in additional noneconomic damages.

The trial started Monday and ended Wednesday. The jury deliberated for about three hours Wednesday evening and then returned to continue deliberations Thursday morning at 8:30. The jury announced its verdict around 1:45 p.m.

The jury concluded that the city denied Bybee his right to an “available and suitable position” in the city, a point his attorney, Richard Myers, made multiple times during the trial. Bybee testified that he told city officials he was interested in any jobs in the city while he was recovering from COVID and hoping to return as a firefighter and EMT. But Bybee developed long COVID and was unable to return to that job.

The jury also answered yes to the question, on the verdict form: “Was the plaintiff’s disability substantial factor in defendant Baker City terminating the plaintiff’s employment or discriminating against the plaintiff in the privileges of employment?”

The city’s attorney, Luke Reese, told the jury during his closing argument Wednesday afternoon that Bybee did not make it clear to the city that he would take a different job with the city, and that the city had fulfilled its legal obligation by holding his job for about 15 months, until it became clear he would not be able to return to work as a firefighter.

Reese told jurors that if they decided Bybee deserved compensation, $25,000 would be an appropriate amount.

Bybee started working for the city around 2010.

Baker City Manager Barry Murphy said on Friday, March 21, that the city’s insurance company is working with the city in the Bybee case. He said he couldn’t comment further.

The jury form included these questions:

“Was the plaintiff’s filing of a workers’ compensation claim a substantial factor in defendant Baker City terminating the plaintiff’s employment or discriminating against the plaintiff in the privileges of employment?”

The jury answered no.

“Did defendant Baker City unlawfully deny the plaintiff his right to be reinstated in his former position?”

The jury answered no.

“Did defendant Baker City unlawfully deny the plaintiff his right to be reemployed in an available and suitable position?”

The jury answered yes.

“Was the plaintiff’s disability a substantial factor in defendant Baker City terminating the plaintiff’s employment or discriminating against the plaintiff in the privileges of employment?”

The jury answered yes.

“Did defendant Baker City fail to make reasonable accommodation disability?”

The jury answered yes.

“Was defendant Baker City’s conduct a cause of damages to the plaintiff?”

The jury answered yes.

“Did defendant Jonathan Cannon aid or abet, or attempt to aid or abet, an unlawful employment practice?”

The jury answered yes.

“Was defendant Jonathan Cannon’s conduct a cause of damages to the plaintiff beyond any damages caused by Baker City?”

The jury answered yes.