CITY OF SEATTLE,a municipality, PUBLISHED OPINION
Respondent. FILED: June 26, 2017
SPEARMAN, J. — An agency must respond to a Public Records Act(PRA),
chapter 42.56 RCW request within five days by providing the records, denying
the request, or sending a letter estimating the date of production. Rebecca Rufin
challenges the City of Seattle's response to three of her PRA requests, arguing
that records were delayed or the search was inadequate. We conclude that with
respect to one of those requests, the trial court erred in finding no PRA violation
because the City failed to give Rufin a five-day letter with a reasonable estimate
of production. We also conclude that the trial court erred in finding that CR 68
offers of judgment do not apply in PRA proceedings. We affirm in all other
respects.
FACTS
Rebecca Rufin worked for Seattle City Light from 1990 to 2006. While
there and shortly after leaving, she was involved as a potential witness in an
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No. 74825-4-1/2
investigation and in a separate lawsuit related to gender discrimination
allegations by other City Light employees.
In August 2011, Rufin applied for a civil and mechanical engineer
manager(CME) position with City Light. She was interviewed three times, but not
hired. When City Light relisted the CME position in April 2012, Rufin e-mailed
Mike Haynes, the director of Power and Production, and asked,"[s]o Mike, is
there any point in applying for this? I still don't understand how I failed to
measure up with the last lengthy process." CP at 298. Haynes forwarded the e-
mail to City Light employees Gary Maehara, DaVonna Johnson, and Steve Kern.
Rufin filed a complaint against City Light and its Director alleging gender