Ex-employee sues Leavenworth County, claims she was fired for cooperating with police
A former employee in the Leavenworth County Treasurer’s Office is suing the county after she says she was fired for cooperating with police in an investigation into funds that were stolen from the department. She told police she believed a relative of the county treasurer had stolen the cash.
Michele Connel, the former motor vehicle deputy in the Leavenworth County treasurer’s office, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for Kansas last month alleging retaliatory discharge for whistle blowing, retaliation and failure to pay overtime wages.
“My client feels strongly about this case,” Connel’s attorney Michael Stipetich said in an email. “She did the right thing, and that should never cost someone their job.”
Leavenworth County did not immediately respond to The Star’s request for comment.
The suit alleges that, despite county nepotism rules, County Treasurer Van Parys employed multiple family members in her department including her sister and her daughter-in-law, identified in the suit as M.D.
After M.D. was hired, the suit says, Connel told Parys she believed M.D. was taking illegal drugs. In response, Parys told Connel that she would never fire her daughter-in-law.
“What would my grandson do,” she allegedly said.
In December, the suit said, cash was removed from the office’s safe while M.D. and Connel were the only employees present.
Connel told Parys she believed M.D. had taken the cash.
“Parys responded with a statement to the effect of ‘well, you know drugs make you do weird things,’” the suit said.
Later in the month, Connel spoke with Leavenworth police about the stolen cash. According to the suit she told them she was concerned with nepotism in the office, that M.D. was the only other person in the office when the money was stolen and that she believed M.D. took illegal drugs.
In early January, Parys informed Connel that her employment was discharged but did not give a reason, the suit said.
In addition to retaliation, Connel is suing for unpaid overtime wages. According to the suit, she was shifted from a salaried employee to an hourly employee last year.
When she asked Parys about the decision, the suit said, Parys responded “I’m an elected official, I can do what I want.”
This story was originally published August 12, 2020 at 5:22 PM.
