August 25, 2003
Congressman John Lewis
343 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Congressman Lewis:
We are a group of twenty-year veteran employees with the Atlanta-Fulton Public
Library System. As your constituents, and fellow public servants, we request your
assistance in asking the United States Justice Department, Equal Employment
Opportunity Division, to conduct an extensive investigation into the harsh abuse and
oppressive harassment of staff by library director Mary Kaye Hooker.
We make this request because we believe that the actions of Ms. Hooker may have
violated federal employment statutes. Last year, Mary Kaye Hooker, and several board
members, were found guilty by the US Federal Court System of racial discrimination,
which resulted in a $17 million judgment against Fulton County. That verdict was
upheld in a June 2003 ruling issued by the US Court of Appeals. Just recently, the
Fulton County Equal Employment Opportunity Office found that Mary Kaye Hooker
had retaliated against two of the litigants who successfully sued her for discrimination.
According to federal law, retaliation against employees who file EEO complaints is
illegal.
As employees, we have repeatedly warned Fulton County officials and the library
Board of Trustees about Mary Kaye Hooker's abusive, and often terrifying behavior.
On many occasions, we alerted the Board of Trustees that Mrs. Hooker retaliates
against the numerous individuals who file complaints and grievances against her,
resulting in a climate of deep fear and oppression at the library. Her vindictive and
erratic actions have had a very negative impact on the quality of service that
employees are able to provide to your constituents in Atlanta and Fulton County.
As public servants, we have followed Fulton County Personnel Procedures to seek
relief from Mrs. Hooker's continuing abuse and harassment. We filed complaints with
the Fulton County Equal Employment Opportunity Office (EEO), filed numerous
grievances with the Fulton County Personnel Board, and sent letters of complaint to
the Fulton County administrators, Fulton County commissioners and the library Board
of Trustees. Still, Mrs. Hooker's abuse has worsened. We have numerous employees
who are frightened to come to work, and the staff has created a web site to complain
about her abuse (www.afplwatch.com).
We have documented her contempt and discrimination of minority male employees,
but nothing changes. We continue to be the victims of frightening verbal abuse,
extensive harassment, terrifying physical threats, coercion, and unethical lies about
our performance. She has intentionally destroyed the careers and reputations of
many valued colleagues, and brags in meetings that if she loses her job, she will take
other people down with her. Many library employees have been forced to seek
extensive psychiatric help because of her, and staff constantly must take medical
leave to recover from her abuse. We have reached our limit!
So far, the Library's Board of Trustees has failed to act on our complaints. We need
help now. Therefore, we request federal intervention from the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission, to conduct a thorough investigation of the grossly
inappropriate treatment of staff, and potential violation of federal laws on workplace
retaliation. As employees, we have been faithfully following appropriate procedures
to alert her superiors about the extensive workplace abuse. However, Mrs. Hooker's
actions clearly indicate an inability to rectify the situation. Our only option is to seek
relief from the US Justice Department to bring forth a resolution to this problem, and
we hope that you will assist us. It has become impossible for the library to move
forward under her leadership because she lacks the support, trust and respect of staff.
Our situation is so critical that we have retained legal counsel. A copy of this
document is being forwarded to our attorney. Enclosed are news articles from the
Atlanta Journal Constitution that discuss the lawsuit, recent ruling of retaliation and
verifies that Mrs. Hooker has a history of severe staff abuse. Thank you for your time
and assistance.
Sincerely,
Veteran Library Employees Coalition
cc:
Fulton County Commission
Annette Steed, Chair, Atlanta Fulton Public Library Board of Trustees
Bob Brandes, Fulton County Personnel Director
June Green, County Attorney
Read Congressman Lewis's Reply
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