Current:Home > MyPublic health officer in Michigan keeps her job after lengthy legal fight over COVID rules-InfoLens
Public health officer in Michigan keeps her job after lengthy legal fight over COVID rules
View Date:2024-12-23 14:42:10
WEST OLIVE, Mich. (AP) — An embattled public health officer in Michigan will get to keep her job, after a lengthy legal fight with county commissioners over pandemic-era mask mandates concluded Tuesday with the board bowing to the will of a court-ordered arbitrator.
The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners voted 11-0 Monday to retain Adeline Hambley as county health officer, part of a settlement to end her lawsuit against the board.
The commissioners first tried to fire Hambley in January 2023 after conflict over COVID-19 restrictions.
But when they were unable to, they offered her a $4 million settlement in return for her resignation, then rescinded the offer, saying it was only a tentative settlement agreement.
Hambley sued the commissioners over her “termination in violation of public policy.” The state’s appeals court ruled in October that Hambley could be fired only for “just cause.”
Instead, the matter would be decided by an arbitration panel consisting of three members: one chosen by Hambley, another by the county and a third by a mediator.
After more than 12 hours of mediation, the two sides agreed on a settlement in which Hambley would keep her job. It included a section stating that if the board tries to fire Hambley again before January 2025, the board would not have the power to do so.
“It was absolutely a priority,” said Sarah Howard, Hambley’s attorney. “There’s no predicting what’s going to happen in the future. ... My client has wanted nothing more than to stay and lead this department.”
“Today, the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners came to a mutual agreement, subject to court approval, to end all litigation involving the health officer,” Board Chair Joe Moss posted on social media following the meeting. “All legal issues between the parties will be resolved, and Ms. Hambley will continue in her role as health officer, as previously decided by the Appeals Court.
Public health officers are responsible for setting local public health policy. Officials who usually worked behind the scenes managing immunizations and water quality inspections found themselves center stage during the COVID-19 pandemic, as elected officials and members of the public who were frustrated with lockdowns and safety restrictions turned public health workers into politicized punching bags.
veryGood! (58)
Related
- 13 escaped monkeys still on the loose in South Carolina after 30 were recaptured
- UPS union calls off strike threat after securing pay raises for workers
- Gangsta Boo, a former member of Three 6 Mafia, dies at 43
- Kyle Richards Sets the Record Straight on Why She Wasn't Wearing Mauricio Umansky Wedding Ring
- Agents search home of ex-lieutenant facing scrutiny as police probe leak of school shooting evidence
- Federal prison counselor agrees to plead guilty to accepting illegal benefits from wealthy inmate
- Venice International Film Festival's 2023 lineup includes Woody Allen, Roman Polanski
- Theophilus London's family files a missing persons report for the rapper
- 'Devastation is absolutely heartbreaking' from Southern California wildfire
- TikTok adds new text post feature to app. Here's where to find it.
Ranking
- Firefighters make progress, but Southern California wildfire rages on
- Anyone who used Facebook in the last 16 years can now get settlement money. Here's how.
- Vivienne Westwood, influential punk fashion maverick, dies at 81
- New Twitter logo: Elon Musk drops bird for black-and-white 'X' as company rebrands
- John Krasinski named People's Sexiest Man Alive for 2024
- U.S. consumer confidence jumps to a two-year high as inflation eases
- Biden honors Emmett Till and his mother with new national monument
- Sofia Richie and Husband Elliot Grainge Share Glimpse Inside Their Life at Home as Newlyweds
Recommendation
-
Unexpected pairing: New documentary tells a heartwarming story between Vietnam enemies
-
How do I stop a co-worker who unnecessarily monitors my actions? Ask HR
-
'Ginny And Georgia' has a lot going on
-
Former Hunter Biden associate to sit for closed-door testimony with House committee
-
Armie Hammer Says His Mom Gifted Him a Vasectomy for His 38th Birthday
-
Harvey Weinstein found guilty on 3 of 7 charges in Los Angeles
-
911 workers say centers are understaffed, struggling to hire and plagued by burnout
-
'Wait Wait' for Jan. 7, 2023: Happy New Year with Mariska Hargitay!