Two former employees of the Battle Creek police department have agreed to a $161,000 settlement with the city of Battle Creek. The announcement was made only three days before a trial in federal court was supposed to begin regarding the “former employees’ claims of breach of an employment contract” after they were fired for partaking in what the city called an inappropriate relationship.
Two former employees of the Battle Creek police department have agreed to a $161,000 settlement with the city of Battle Creek. The announcement was made only three days before a trial in federal court was supposed to begin regarding the “former employees’ claims of breach of an employment contract” after they were fired for partaking in what the city called an inappropriate relationship.
The two employees, former deputy police Chief James Saylor and former police Inspector Maria Alonso, first filed the lawsuit against the city of Battle Creek back in 2014, and though many of the issues were dismissed in 2015, a trial date was still scheduled for next Monday, July 24th to “decide whether Saylor and Alonso should have been considered “at-will” employees, who can be fired for any reason, or “just-cause” employees, for whom the city would have to cite specific and reasonable justification for their terminations.”
So why did the city decide to settle? What were the circumstances surrounding the firing of Saylor and Alonso? For starters, back in 2014, the two former employees were fired “after a seven-week internal investigation into their alleged romantic relationship and whether they created a hostile work environment as well as other performance issues.”
Feeling as though they were wrongfully terminated, Saylor and Alonso filed a lawsuit against the city and several individuals, including former Assistant City Manager Susan Bedsole, Police Chief Jim Blocker, and Mayor Dave Walters. In the lawsuit, the two “contended they had talked to former police chief Jackie Hampton and former City Manager Ken Tsuchiyama, who approved of the relationship because Alonso did not report to Saylor.”
In deciding to agree to settle, Blocker said: “It is in the best interest of the Battle Creek Police Department and the community to move forward amicably.” City officials also issued a news release saying they “maintain no liability in the breach of employment contract claim, but believe the settlement is in the best interest of those involved, as well as the entire community.”
Even City Manager Rebecca Fleury chimed in, saying: “We all continue to live and work in the Battle Creek community. We want the entire community to be able to move forward.”
Today, the two former employees are married, and in response to the settlement announcement, their attorney, Kevin Carlson, said: “Both former officers are glad that the case has been successfully resolved and they look forward to moving on from this dispute.”
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