BISMARCK, N.D. AP – Former employees of North Dakota’s Workforce Safety and Insurance agency have struggled to pursue claims that they were illegally fired for spotlighting questionable activities at the agency.

A judge has thrown out most of the case filed by James Long, the agency’s former chief of support services, concluding that Long may sue WSI but not a group of executives and board members he claims plotted to fire him. Long’s lawsuit against the agency itself is continuing.