Opinion ID: 2558572
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Respondent's Employment by the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights

Text: 1. Respondent was admitted to the District of Columbia Bar on July 9, 1999. She is also a member of the Bars of Texas and Maryland. She has no prior disciplinary history. BX A; BX B; Tr. 3/27/06 at 726. [3] 2. On or about November 2000, Respondent began employment with the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights (OHR), the District agency with responsibility for assessing claims of employment discrimination. On or about July 10, 2002, she was employed as an Employment Opportunity Specialist Supervisor in OHR's main office. In that position, she was responsible for preparation of legal analyses of potential discrimination claims filed by District residents or employees of the District of Columbia. Tr. 12/13/05 at 38-42; Tr. 3/27/06 at 729-32; BX 2. 3. During the relevant time period, OHR determined whether a claimant stated a valid basis for a discrimination complaint by conducting an investigation (interviewing witnesses, reviewing documents) and evaluating whether the facts supported the legal claim. At the conclusion of its investigation, OHR issued a Letter of Determination (LOD) setting forth the facts as found by OHR, as well as its legal conclusion about whether the complainant's charges stated a claim of discrimination. Tr. 12/13/05 at 33-40. 4. Respondent transferred to OHR's main office as of July 8, 2002, at which time she became responsible for supervising OHR investigator Michelle Thomas (M. Thomas). Id. at 1246-47; BX 2 at 2. At the time that Respondent assumed this responsibility, M. Thomas was nearing the end of an investigation regarding an age discrimination complaint filed by Ms. Gladys Graye Thomas (G. Thomas) concerning her discharge from the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA). Respondent had no involvement in the G. Thomas matter prior to July 10, 2002. Though acknowledging that the evidence was in dispute as to whether M. Thomas continued to report to her prior supervisor with respect to the G. Thomas matter, the Hearing Committee found that Respondent supervised M. Thomas on the matter after July 10, 2002, when she was concluding OHR's investigation and preparing the LOD. Tr. 12/13/05 at 184; HC Rpt. ¶ 4. 5. M. Thomas testified before the Hearing Committee and identified contemporaneous time records to support her testimony that in July 2002, she provided to Respondent, her new supervisor, a draft LOD concerning the G. Thomas file and that she had received from Respondent comments or edits on the draft. Tr. 12/13/05 at 188-95; RX 12. Respondent testified that she did not review the draft LOD regarding G. Thomas prior to its issuance on August 30, 2002, and submitted several written denials to the same effect. E.g., Tr. 3/27/06 at 795; BX 2 at 2-3; RX 2. Respondent further testified and provided some documentary support for the conclusion that in 2002, when her performance at OHR was being reviewed, she specifically disavowed involvement in the review or issuance of the G. Thomas LOD. Tr. 3/30/06 at 988-89; RX 18. If existing copies of Respondent's edits to the draft LOD remain, they were not located or produced during the hearing in this matter. The Hearing Committee credited the testimony and documents provided by M. Thomas over that of Respondent on this issue and found that Respondent reviewed and commented on the draft LOD in July/August 2002. HC Rpt. ¶ 5. Respondent has challenged this finding in her June 21, 2007 exceptions to the Hearing Committee report, arguing that it was improper for the Hearing Committee to credit the testimony of M. Thomas because that testimony was heavily disputed by Respondent and other witnesses' testimony and numerous documents. Respondent's Brief to the Board (Respondent's Brief) at 3. Determinations concerning credibility of the witnesses and the weight, value and effect of the evidence fall primarily within the sphere customarily left to the factfinder.... In re Temple, 629 A.2d 1203, 1208 (D.C. 1993); see also Micheel, 610 A.2d at 234. The Hearing Committee heard the testimony and observed the demeanor of the witnesses and was in the best position to make such determinations. We have considered Respondent's arguments, reviewed the record and have determined that its factual findings with respect to M. Thomas' testimony are supported by substantial evidence in the record. 6. On August 30, 2002, a final LOD was issued to G. Thomas and delivered to her lawyer, Ms. Janet Cooper. The letter was signed by OHR General Counsel, Ms. Julie Lee, on behalf of OHR Interim Director, Ms. Nadine Wilburn. The LOD reflected the agency's determination that there was no probable cause that G. Thomas had been discriminated against on the basis of age when she was terminated from her position with DCRA. The LOD advised G. Thomas that she could file for reconsideration of this finding within 15 days of receipt of the letter. Respondent was identified by name in the LOD as the Equal Opportunity Specialist Supervisor whom G. Thomas should contact if she had any questions about the matter. BX 9. 7. During September and October 2002, after the LOD was issued, G. Thomas made a number of telephone calls and personal visits to OHR regarding her file and the LOD. Respondent participated in at least some of these calls and met with G. Thomas on at least one occasion when G. Thomas visited OHR to review the contents of the investigatory file. Tr. 3/27/06 at 750-55; Tr. 2/15/06 at 423-24. While it is not clear that the two discussed the substance of G. Thomas' age discrimination complaint, the Hearing Committee found that Respondent was aware that G. Thomas believed that documents had been improperly taken out of, or placed into, her employment file which might have affected the outcome of the LOD. HC Rpt. ¶ 7. G. Thomas never filed a formal request for reconsideration but did communicate her concern, orally and in writing to OHR personnel, including Respondent, that OHR had mishandled her file and her case. Respondent also testified that she verif[ied] with [G. Thomas] that G. Thomas knew she had a right to reconsider the case. Tr. 3/27/06 at 754; Tr. 2/15/06 at 455-60; BX 6 at 3-16; RX 2 (email dated Oct. 1, 2002); BX 8o (White affidavit ¶ 26); BX 8t at Ex. 6 and Ex. 7. 8. In January 2003, Respondent was terminated from her position with OHR. Tr. 12/13/05 at 119-20. The termination followed several months of internal discussions about her job performance, as well as a written performance improvement plan. RX 5. One of the issues raised by OHR supervisors prior to Respondent's termination was the quality and extent of her supervision of other people, including M. Thomas. The Hearing Committee reviewed several e-mails, as well as a lengthy tape-recorded meeting between Respondent and her supervisor, Nadine Wilburn. BX 6. While these materials were not conclusive as to whether Respondent had substantive involvement in the G. Thomas file prior to the issuance of the LOD, they demonstrate that Respondent was involved personally and substantially in the G. Thomas matter after the issuance of the LOD. The G. Thomas file and how it was handled were central issues in connection with Respondent's evaluations and eventual termination. HC Rpt. ¶ 8; Tr. 12/13/05 at 59-64.