CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mecklenburg County's EMS agency paid a former employee at least $260,000 as part of a settlement related to a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit, according to public records.
The payment came after a former MEDIC public relations manager sued the agency. The total settlement was $350,000; $90,000 went to the attorney.
"Medic has an organizational culture that supports a consistent pattern of subjecting females and other minority employees to discrimination," Tara Ragan alleged in her federal lawsuit. "Employees are treated disparately and less favorably in the terms and conditions of their employment based on race, color, sex, and national origin."
Citing a confidentiality agreement, Ragan declined an interview, but her attorney said she's talked with more than three MEDIC employees who've told her the same thing.
"What is consistently reported to me is that there is a culture there of racism, discrimination on basis of ethnicity and gender and huge concern with retaliation for anyone that stands up to them, particularly on those issues," Meg Maloney said. "I think they need to have some changes in management."
The settlement amounts to more than the minimum $50,000 Ragan asked for her in her lawsuit. Ragan's original complaint identified concerns dating back to 2014 of superiors, who are white men, treating minorities and women as less than them, questioning one employee's weight and one manager telling a group of women he's "either sexist or racist."
The lawsuit said Ragan complained in early 2015 and by April of that year, MEDIC placed her on involuntary administrative leave, terminating her the next month, saying her and her attorney's claims of "systemic and far-reaching problems with race, color, and gender issues are simply not based in reality."
In its answer to the complaint, MEDIC denied every one of Ragan's discrimination and retaliation claims but recently settled the case without admitting any liability. In a statement, the agency said the decision to settle was "due to the potential high costs of defense."
"The settlement in question was preceded by exhaustive investigations--including one by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission--and failed to find any evidence of a culture of discrimination or retaliation," MEDIC said. "We inform employees about culture and workplace expectations and ways to report any concern. Discrimination and retaliation are not tolerated."
Over the last two weeks, we've asked MEDIC to talk about this on-camera on two different occasions. Through a spokesperson, agency leadership declined. Through that same spokesperson, MEDIC's board chairwoman also declined comment.
