By Charles Hallman Staff Writer
-Illustration by Chris Harrison
A systematic pattern of firing Blacks or targeting them for eventual dismissal is occurring at the Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department (HSPHD), claim several present and former employees.
“They [County officials] are trying to get rid of long-term employees [and] also creating a hostile work environment” because of current budget woes, says Constance, who has worked at the County for more than two decades. “Hennepin County is supposed to be this kind of workplace where employees are an asset,” notes Constance, but she believes that managers have been creating a hostile work environment at HSPHD for the past several years. A Hennepin County spokeswoman said that of the 7,200 total employees at Hennepin County, 20 percent are people of color, and just over 17 percent of those who work in HSPHD are Black.
“A great number of [HSPHD] clients are people of color” who receive such services as childcare assistance, child protection, child support, health care, public assistance, and services for seniors, says Darwin, a Black male worker. “There are no people of color in strategic decision-making positions that affect clients. There are no African American men or women who have a high-level job [at HSPHD], although a large number of Hennepin County clients [are Black].”
Annie and Bernice are longtime HSPHD workers; Annie was fired, and Bernice believes she is among several other Black women being targeted for termination. Both say they have observed first-hand this “pattern” for the past several years. “We know at least five people in the last two to five years that either have been terminated or are experiencing some gross disciplinary action,” says Annie, who believes things started to change for her around six years ago after HSPHD reorganized. “They brought six departments together under one in 2005,” she explains.
“They went into a strategic process of streamlining services and wrapping it around a business model. There was an urgency to reduce staff.” HSPHD supervisors “are going through expediting people out the door through disciplinary action,” says Annie. “It’s about saving money.” “It’s not just gender or age, [but] what I have been seeing lately, yes, has been all [Black] women,” says Constance.
“The employees that are being let go have great longevity, and they put in years of service. I think they [Hennepin County] are trying to get rid of those [longtime workers] and hire someone just newly out of school.” Bernice says she has been working in a hostile work environment for some time at HSPHD. “I also am on the fast track” to getting fired, she says, adding that she has twice been suspended without pay.
“They removed me from the team I was working with and isolated me at the other end of the building. There were some mistakes that I made, but I didn’t have a supervisor and a team to support me and help me be successful.” The two women say the ordeal has been hard on both of them. “They literally take you and beat you down emotionally,” says Annie. Managers scrutinized everyone closely, and according to her the littlest problem got her written up.
She often brought her concerns to higher-ups, but to no avail. “I think that started the action (toward her eventual firing).” Despite receiving three promotions in three years and reaching the top of her job classification and pay scale, Annie sees little hope for further advancement. “I’m older, African American, and would easily be considered a surplus employee.” Constance says she saw another longtime HSPHD worker, a Black female, get “let go [due to age]. She resigned, but it was forced.” Seeing these employees forced out “and not having to answer to why” bothers her, says Constance. “Why couldn’t it have been worked out to save their position?
Some of this stuff is crazy.” Darwin says, “There has been a pattern the last five years that African Americans who have held managerial positions [at HSPHD], who are all over age 40 and all have at least 20 years of service, have been either terminated or moved on. I know at least three Black females — all college graduates, all over 50, and all having at least 10-15 years of experience — that have been waltzed out the door and terminated in the past two years. “And it wasn’t on performance, but it was because of some personal agendas. Either they pushed back on company policy or were considered too aggressive or outspoken for the position.
So they were shut up and fired.” He believes that “a lack of due process” may have occurred in many of the termination cases involving Blacks at HSPHD. He strongly suggests that the Hennepin County commissioners should immediately address this issue “on behalf of people of color.” Darwin claims that Commissioner Peter McLaughlin “has been aware that there is a pattern of African American females leaving the County under very negative conditions — he is aware of a few of them that have left. To my awareness, he has not spoken about it.”
The MSR tried unsuccessfully for three weeks to contact Hennepin County Commissioners McLaughlin, Mark Stenglein and Gail Dorfman for comment. McLaughlin never returned our phone messages. Both Stenglein and Dorfman did return our calls, but we were unable to reach them after receiving their messages. “Hennepin County is not a private corporation and funded by stockholders,” says Darwin. “It is funded by taxpayers’ money, and it is a social service organization run by elected officials. They work for us.” “There is gender bias at Hennepin County,” says Annie, adding that the problem isn’t going away soon. “It’s going countywide and statewide,” she surmises. “I don’t think things are going to change until the upper managers are made accountable in making decisions,” concludes Constance.
Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.
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I feel for both Annie and Constance, as I can personally relate to what they have gone through.
Besides my own experience, I know of another HR employee who was also “forced” into retirement.
I am a Caucasian, female who worked in …can you believe it… Hennepin County Human Resources for 10.7 years! I LOVED my job and helping people! I received many great compliments from walk-ins I assisted!!!
I went thru the same HELL at HC as Annie, Constance and others for roughly 1.5 years. I have been accused of many things that I have not done over the last 1.5 years of my 10.7 years of employment at HC. Things have been taken out of context, fabricated, misconstrued, misinterpreted or convoluted. Causing depression and a near complete nervous breakdown, along with “uncomfortably strong” thoughts of suicide in the summer of 2012 (b/c I couldn’t just leave my job.). I believe I would not get unemployment.
Recently(unfortunately for me!), I found this site that may be beneficial to others still under duress at HC. I hope it helps!!
-www.wisegeek.com/what-is-constructive-dismissal.htm-
Because I am also a Veteran, my termination is “pending” (since 7/2/13) a final determination of a Veterans Preference Hearing (finding an atty is a joke, cuz there’s no monetary value for them, just hahaha …my job back! …and I would want THAT??) At the hearing, HC has to prove there was misconduct or that I was incompetent in my job. Neither are true, they just want me OUT!! My pre hearing is this Thursday, Dec 19, 2013. HC has made me an offer in exchange that I drop the hearing. I countered their offer and they did the same. Reducing my counter offer. I have to decide by Noon today, Tuesday Dec 17, 2013. Sure wish I had an attorney that I could afford!!
They put me thru HELL, physically and mentally. If I take their offer I can ‘move on’ and focus on my future and not put myself through the pain and emotional stress all over again.
Yet, I wonder if there would be a more painful retribution for HC …and those involved!!! PLUS MEDIA FOCUS?? 😉 …if I were to go thru with it. Let me tall ya, my appreciation of that would be GREAT!!! Even tho I sooo want this to STOP for ALL of us at HC and elsewhere. I feel emotionally challenged to fight against them, esp. being “on my own” without an atty and a diagnoses of ADD/ADHD. It matters not the color of ones skin, ability or disability. It matters that we are HUMAN and DESERVE to be treated with respect and equality in a NON HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT!!!
…and to think that HC rewrote their non-discrimination policy in 2012 to include “No bullying!!”.
Imagine playing playing Jeopardy!
Answer: “A joke” Question: What is HC?
My mom raised me under God’s word that I “do onto others as I would have done onto myself”. I still believe this and strive to do so daily.
I believe there may be age and disability discrimination in my dismissal, as well.
How can they continue to get away with this???
Wishing all a Blessed and Merry Christmas!!!
~Yvonne