Tamela Rowe vs Oklahoma County Board of County Commissioners

Tamela Rowe sued the Oklahoma County Board of County Commissioners on a civil rights violation theory under 42 U.S.c. 2000e claiming job discrimination. Rowe was hired and employed as Personnel Coordinator by Oklahoma County's Juvenile Detention Bureau. The position of Personnel Coordinator had been in existnce for some time. Her job duties included, among other things, recruitment and fielding, EEOC and related complaints.

The Detention Center was directed by Lawrence Hicks. In mid-2007, Hicks decided to combine two divisions, personnel and training. Hicks called this newly created department the Professional Development Department. Also in 2007, Hicks hired Jim Richardson as Professional Development Manager, a new position created for the PDD. Rowe worked within the PDD as Personnel Coordinator.

Rowe got along well with Richardson and Hicks from the time of her hire on into mid-2008, during which time she received two "above standard" performance evaluations and a commendatio9n for her recruitment work.

In mid-2008, Rowe fielded a large volume of employee complaints relating to reverse discrimination and sexual harassment issues, causing Richardson, her supervisor, to form the opinion she was over zealous in her advocacy for employee rights. Richardson and Hicks agreed to Rowe's EEOC related duties would be removed from her and her focus made recruitment, which was an ongoing problem due to high turnover.

Thereafter, Rowe dutifully performed her recruitment duties, periodically reporting her progress to Richardson. However, employees continue to approach her raising concerns about discrimination and harassment. Eventually, Rose was compelled to step outside her duties and make senior management, Hicks and Richardson, aware of the abuses taking place, both for the benefit of the employees and the County. She did this is through a September 2, 2008, memo titled "detention concerns."

Rowe was terminated in, what she claimed was, retaliation.

Plaintiff's verdict.