November 8, 2018 Office of Washington County Administrator 100 West Washington Street Hagerstown, Maryland 21740 To: Mr. Robert Slocum, County Administrator RE: FORMAL LETTER OF GRIEVANCE ~ PROBATION PERIOD, EXPUNGEMENT, BULLYING AND HARRASSMENT The issue which has led to me lodging this Grievance concerns denial of removal from ‘one year probation period — commencing August 2, 2018; expungement of all documentation regarding this issue, and bullying and harassment. July 13, 2018, | received a telephone call from Mr. James Hovis, Chief Operations Officer, advising me | had a meeting at 2 P.M., and needed to provide copies of all cettifications and diplomas for the Executive Assistant position, for which | was applying. My original High Schoo! Diploma was lost, therefore, a copy of my High School Transcript (attached) was provided as proof of graduating high school. Shortly thereafter, | met with Chris Baer, Registrar, Hagerstown Community College, to obtain a copy of my Associates of Arts Diploma. Upon my arrival at that meeting, he advised me, since | had not previously formally applied for the degree; the requirements had changed, therefore, making me one (1) class short Prior to this conversation, | was unaware that not formally applying for my AA degree would deny me the degree, even though I previously had met all the requirements for that AA degree. With this new understanding, | immediately signed up for the first on-line class available (see attached). Mandatory tuition, due prior to August 10, 2018, was paid in two installments (attached). The class begins October 22, 2018 and ends December 14, 2018. ‘At approximately 1:30 P.M., | met with interview panel (Mr. Robert Slocum, County ‘Administrator, Mr. James Hovis, Chief Operations Officer, and Ms. Krista Hart, County Clerk). | explained my situation. | explained prior to my meeting with Chris Baer, Registrar, HCC, | was unaware that not formally applying for my AA diploma would deny me the diploma, even though | previously had met all the requirements for that AA diploma. | accepted total responsibility for my actions, and apologized for any inconvenience or misunderstanding this may have caused. | made an error, of which | previously was unaware, and, as soon as | became aware of my error, ! reported the correct information to the appropriate above-named Washington County officials.1 was not hired for Executive Assistant position. July 17, 2018, | received e-mail (attached) from Mrs. Debbie Peyton, Division of Health and Human Services, advising me of a meeting scheduled for July 31, 2018 at 9:00 A.M., regarding my recent submission for the Executive Assistant position. July 31, 2018, | met with Mrs. Peyton and Ms. Stephanie Stone, former Director of Health and Human Services, retired, effective August 1, 2018, Mrs. Peyton verbally advised me | was being placed on one (1) year probation period, and could not apply for any County jobs during this time. Mrs. Peyton told me | falsified a document. Mrs. Peyton told me I lied. Mrs. Peyton told me | was not being terminated because | was a “decent” employee. Mrs. Peyton asked if | graduated from high school, | replied, “Ves.” Mrs. Peyton asked, “What high school?" | said, “Clear Spring High School.” Mrs. Peyton advised me she would meet with me sometime next week, at my office, regarding written Employee Warning Report Form — which was not yet prepared. August 2, 2018, | received Original Employee Waring Report Form, via e-mail, from Mrs. Peyton. Mrs. Peyton's e-mail (attached) instructions read: “Please sign the attached and return to me via e-mail. Once | have signed, | will then return the completed form to you.” | am unable to provide a copy of Original EWRF, because my e-mailed copy was given to Mrs. Peyton at August 3, 2018 meeting, and has since been digitally altered. After | read Original EWRF, | advised Mrs. Peyton, via e-mail (attached), | would be submitting a Written Rebuttal in a reasonable amount of time, and if there was a necessity for a second meeting, | was requesting a witness on my behalf be present. Per Mrs. Peyton's attached e-mail, my request for a witness was denied for the following reason: “As it is a personnel we can't discuss your issue in front of another person.” Thru work conversations with other County employees, who will remain anonymous in order to avoid any work-place retaliation, Mr, Hovis directly shared personal information regarding this matter, and sought information regarding what type of employee | am. I received e-mail (attached) regarding scheduled meeting for August 3, 2018 at 8:00 AM. August 3, 2018, | met with Mrs. Peyton and Mr. Hovis to discuss my concems and Written Rebuttal (attached) to Original EWRF. | was denied representation. I was emotionally upset and cried throughout the meeting, Mrs. Peyton asked what concerns | had, or what information according to the Original EWRF, sent to me on August 2, 2018, via e-mail, was incorrect.{handed Mrs. Peyton my Written Rebuttal, which she and Mr. Hovis both reviewed. Mr. Hovis told me he knew the entire time | was lying about my degree. He told me he knew | was lying about my degree the first time he was part of my initial interview. He said | fooled the others, but | wasn’t able to fool him, He told me he knew | was lying, because he used to be an interrogator for Maryland State Police, and he knows when someone is lying. Mr. Hovis began to explain to me the justification for the level of discipline administered. He told me the Executive Assistant position (which ! was not hired) | was applying for, would require me to work with ‘important’ individuals. This position is considered a “higher position", working with individuals who are constantly in the “spotlight.” He told me that if it came out that | did not have an AA Degree, and this became public knowledge, my name would be plastered in the newspaper, and | wouldn't want that. He said he felt the need to stop this action before anything got out of hand. Mr. Hovis said nobody wants to end up on the front page of The Herald Mail. There was nothing to “stop.” On July 13, 2018, | told the appropriate Washington County Officials - including Mr. Hovis, the truth regarding my degree. Mr. Hovis told me everyone in the Division of Environmental Management Department of Water Quality, knows about my situation. Mr. Hovis said others informed him that | personally had told everyone in my department about this matter. Untrue. Mrs. Peyton and Mr.Hovis excused themselves from the meeting to discuss privately my Written Rebuttal, and my request that the one (1) year probation period be waived upon completion of my AA degree, and all documentation regarding this issue be removed from my Personnel File, and that I be advised, in writing, when this is done. When they returned, it was verbally agreed between all parties, that once | produced my ‘AA Diploma, | would be removed from one (1) year probation period, and allowed to apply for County positions. No mention of my expungement request was made. Mr. Hovis handed me a copy of Progressive Discipline and Dismissal Policy. Immediately, | began to look over and read document. He stated, in a hostile tone, “She (Peyton) didn’t ask you to read it.” He told me to, “Read it at a later date.” Mr. Hovis instructed me to sign EWRF, and told me | couldn't leave until | did. | signed aforementioned document under duress. August 6, 2018, Hagerstown Community College, Office of Academic Affairs, notified me | was immediately eligible to graduate, and no further class was necessary, as. previously advised.