Fired building official files claim against city
By MARY SCHLEY Published: December 20, 2013
HIGHLIGHT EXCERPTS:
During the months leading up to his firing, according to his claim, “the city undercut Mr. Hanson, interfered with his performance of his duties and misrepresented his work.” He said top city administrators, namely Stilwell and Paul, interfered with his duties, “sometimes without conferring with, or even informing” him, unduly criticized him about his job performance, took contradictory and inconsistent positions, and discriminated against him “based on age, medical condition/disability and status as an active duty member of the military.”
“City officials, including one or more elected officials, then began an effort to vilify and discredit Mr. Hanson, describing him in ways that the average listener knew his identity, and then declaring him unfit for his employment, all the while leaking confidential personnel information,” according to his claim.
Administrators violated his rights under the California and U.S. constitutions, and state and federal laws, as well as local law, by putting him on leave without cause or notice, preventing him from doing his job, not allowing him to be heard and unfairly interrogating him, Hanson said.
“The actions of the city to arbitrarily suspend or fire employees during the past year had a disparate impact upon older workers, and the city’s tactics were intended to, and did, abuse the processes of involuntary leave and summary terminations in order to scare and intimidate employees of the city, prevent them from testifying about what they have seen and learned, and force them from their employment for money-saving reasons that cause harm to the employees,” according to his claim.
ABSTRACT: On Tuesday, December 17, 2013, attorney Michael Stamp filed a claim against the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea on behalf of his client, former Building Official John Hanson. As reported in the news article entitled “Another claim against Carmel,” By LARRY PARSONS Herald Staff Writer, 12-18-2013, “on August 5, Hanson was asked to come to the police station where he was told he was terminated immediately. "City officials, including one or more elected officials, then began an effort to vilify and discredit Mr. Hanson," the claims says. The claim contends the actions against Hanson "constitute a continuing course of actions ... of involuntary leave and summary terminations in order to scare and intimidate employees of the city." HIGHLIGHT EXCERPTS are presented.
HIGHLIGHT EXCERPTS:
A second claim has been filed alleging wrongdoing by the city of Carmel by a longtime employee, who is among several city workers who were either suspended or lost their jobs this year.
Former city building official John Hanson accuses the city of wrongful termination in his August firing.
Among the allegations in Hanson's claim are that:
A second claim has been filed alleging wrongdoing by the city of Carmel by a longtime employee, who is among several city workers who were either suspended or lost their jobs this year.
Former city building official John Hanson accuses the city of wrongful termination in his August firing.
Among the allegations in Hanson's claim are that:
· The city discriminated against him by not accommodating a medical disability (post-traumatic stress disorder).
· Discriminated against him for his military employment in violation of military leave laws.
· Fired him in retaliation for his previous actions as a witness in a sexual harassment suit against Carmel.
Source: Another claim against CarmelBy LARRY PARSONS Herald Staff Writer, 12/18/2013
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