John Hanson, Claimant, GOVERNMENT CLAIM FOR DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA

ABSTRACT: The GOVERNMENT CLAIM document regarding John Hanson’s claim for damages against the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea, dated December 17, 2013, is embedded. The Claim of Claimant John Hanson, former Building Official, states, in part, that “The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea violated Mr. Hanson's rights under the United States Constitution, the California Constitution and California and Federal law, including the City's own governing ordinance” and “The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea's actions constituted wrongful termination of Mr. Hanson in violation of California law.” HIGHLIGHT EXCERPTS are presented.

HIGHLIGHT EXCERPTS:

• Beginning in March 2013, and leading to unlawful action taken against Mr. Hanson in August 2013, the City undercut Mr. Hanson, interfered with his performance of his duties, and misrepresented his work. The incidents giving rise to this claim show a course of conduct whereby top City administration (Jason Stilwell and Susan Paul, among others), interfered with Mr. Hanson's duties and Building Department operations, sometimes without conferring with, or even informing Mr. Hanson, unduly criticized Mr. Hanson about his job performance and qualifications, took contradictory and inconsistent positions, discriminated against Mr. Hanson based on age, medical condition/disability, and status as an active duty member of the military, and generally created a hostile work environment for Mr. Hanson, leading to his termination without any basis and without any due process given.

• The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea's actions constituted wrongful termination of Mr. Hanson in violation of California law.

• The agents of the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea defamed Mr. Hanson by publishing to other employees, the general public and other persons false, unprivileged, defamatory, and slanderous statements charging Mr. Hanson with misconduct and lack of credentials and other statements which exposed Mr. Hanson to hatred, contempt, ridicule or obloquy, causing him injury and tending to injure him in respect to his profession and employment, and causing irreparable loss of his reputation in the community.

• The agents of the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea unlawfully discriminated against Mr. Hanson because of his age, in violation of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, Government Code section 12900 et seq. and the Older Americans Act. The actions of the City to arbitrarily suspend or fire employees during the past year have 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.

• The agents of the City unlawfully discriminated against Mr. Hanson due to his medical-related disability and history (post-traumatic stress disorder), and failed to accommodate his medical-related disability in violation of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, Government Code section 12900 et seq. and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

• The City Carmel-by-the-Sea unlawfully discriminated against Mr. Hanson because of his employment with the military in violation of Military leave laws (Mil. & Vet. Code,§ 389 et seq.) and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).

• The actions of the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea constitute retaliation against Mr. Hanson for whistleblowing about the City's improper and discriminatory conduct. (Lab. 23 Code,§ 1102.5.)

• RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS: Jason Stilwell, City Administrator, and other employees, agents, officers, and officials of the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea whose roles and actions are not fully known at this time.

Hanson John v. City of Carmel Claim

CLAIM FOR DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA

John Hanson c/o Law Offices of Michael W. Stamp
December 17, 2013