Substantive Issues

Ms. Delores Mendoza filed two complaints with the EEOC against Dade County. Under county personnel policies, a team from the Affirmative Action Division of Dade County formally investigated the complaints. The following statements were provided the investigating team by Ms. Mendoza and Department Manager David Flood. Please note that no attempt was made by the investigating team to judge the position of either side. You are asked to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the employee and management positions and make a recommendation. Also provide recommendations as to what actions the Treasurer’s Department might take to avoid this kind of complaint in the future.

STATEMENT FROM MS. MENDOZA

When I filed my initial complaint last April, I was really upset. Just because I’m a woman and I’m Hispanic, they are not going to get away discriminating against me. I simply cannot understand why certain people with Dade County have suddenly turned against me. I have always been well-respected by my fellow employees. Even just last year, I was selected by my peers to serve as their representative on the Annual Departmental Christmas Party Committee. I have also served as a kind of spokesperson for the Hispanic coworkers and was treasurer for the Miami Lakes Hispanic American Association.

Management seems to disregard all the effort I have made to become a supervisor. I joined Dade County twelve years ago as an entry level clerk/bookkeeper after completing two years at Miami Dade Community College. Since that time, I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Management through Nova Southeastern University’s weekend program. I was promoted five times to my present position as assistant supervisor in the Accounts Receivable Division of the Treasurer’s Department.

My promotion to assistant supervisor came three years ago. The supervisor of my division was Mr. William Dorfmann. He shared some of his responsibilities with me until he retired a year and a half ago. Because of a three month lag in selecting his replacement, I was asked to assume many of his responsibilities under the direction of David Flood who is the Director of the Treasurer’s Department. I contributed many overtime hours in performing these duties.

You cannot imagine how surprised I was last January when Mr. Flood laterally transferred Tom Adams, the supervisor of Accounts Payable, to fill Mr. Dorfmann’s vacancy. He then made Ben Anderson, assistant supervisor of Accounts Payable, the supervisor of that division. I really believe that I was passed over for promotion because I am Hispanic and a female.

No doubt exists in my mind that I am the most qualified person for the supervisor’s position. I trained two years for the job. Moreover, all of my performance appraisals for twelve years were excellent and show no lack of productivity.

I should also point out that management’s negative