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A former Tampa city administrator officially retired after accusations of discrimination and retaliation reached a $650,000 lawsuit. The Tampa City Council later chose to commend her for her retirement.
Jean Duncan is the former administrator for Tampa’s mobility department, and was recently involved in a lawsuit with her former employee, Scarlett Lopez.
Lopez had to take leave after medical complications arose from her pregnancy. Duncan responded with poor performance scores, and even a demotion.
Lopez said Duncan even retaliated against her through termination. The Tampa City Council voted for the lawsuit to reach a $350,000 settlement.
Valerie Smith is a freelance reporter who wrote this story for Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. She says that former employees of Duncan have come forward after seeing the award she received upon her retirement.
“Alana Brazier, a former employee of the mobility department, criticized it and called it a slap in the face to all of the people who worked under Duncan and felt discriminated against.”
The same council that voted for the settlement, voted for Duncan to receive this award.
Bill Carlson, the only council member to vote against the commendation, asked whether anyone had read the Lopez case.
Duncan announced her retirement within the same month the news went public with the case settlement.