Allentown’s former human resources director says he was forced out because he refused to follow Mayor Matt Tuerk’s order to fire a “troublemaker” employee, according to a lawsuit.
Nadeem Shahzad filed the lawsuit Monday in federal court. It says he lasted only 35 days before he was forced out by Tuerk.
The mayor and the city solicitor didn’t immediately reply to an email seeking comment Monday.
The lawsuit says Tuerk wanted Shahzad to fire an employee who the mayor said was outspoken on the issue of racial discrimination. Shahzad said firing the employee would amount to illegal discrimination, the suit says.
It says Shahzad was told to either resign or be fired, so he signed a resignation letter that had been prepared by the city. When he applied for employment benefits, the city allegedly said that because Shahzad retired voluntarily, he was not eligible for benefits.
The lawsuit says Tuerk called Shahzad a “Muslim old man” at least three times. The lawsuit accuses the city of retaliation, religious discrimination and age discrimination. Shahzad is 79 years old, the suit says.
Shahzad was hired July 29, 2023, and forced out Aug. 18, 2023, the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit was filed by Fort Washington, Pa., attorney Marc Weinstein.
In September 2023, Allentown City Council authorized an independent investigation into claims of racism in city hall.
A published report in September says the cost of the investigation is expected to exceed $500,000. The investigators recommended an overhaul of the city’s human resources department, but didn’t release any findings of the racism probe, according to lehighvalleynews.com.
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