Former interim officer seeking $10K
Robbinsville – Former Town of Robbinsville Interim Finance Officer Micheal Richardson is suing the municipality’s board of alderman individually – Debbie Beasley and Kenneth Hyde – for unpaid wages, unpaid sick leave, vacation, holiday and bereavement; along with a breach of his temporary work agreement contract.
Richardson is seeking a maximum of $10,000, plus interest and reimbursement for court costs. The case is going to small claims court at 10 a.m. Monday.
Richardson says his paid sick time off was previously approved in August for his Oct. 24 wrist surgery, in a temporary work agreement. Richardson’s grandmother also passed away during this time and he applied for bereavement pay.
He did not receive it.
“The last check I received was dated Nov. 1 and only had nine hours of pay on it,” said Richardson in an email to the board.
The amount owed from Oct. 24 – Nov. 15 is $5,720, according to the Complaint for Money Owed, filed to the Graham County Clerk of Court office.
Town of Robbinsville Attorney Leo Phillips said in an email the board met Nov. 15, determined that Richardson breached the agreement and voted to terminate him. Philips called Richardson on Nov. 16, saying he made a breach in contract, but did not give a reason for the breach.
The Star asked Phillips what the breach was and he responded with “no comment.” Hyde is not speaking on the matter at this time; Beasley was unable to be reached before Wednesday’s press deadline.
Employment break
A public records request of Richardson’s employment record was also made to Robbinsville Town Hall. The employment record stated that Richardson’s employment started on May 22 and ended on Nov. 16. The employees recognize that he temporarily stopped working July 31, but returned to work during the first week of August.
According to Richardson, he quit July 31 because of Town of Robbinsville Mayor Shaun Adams. Adams thought Richardson was having an unapproved meeting and reprimanded him, “yelling,” according to Richardson. Richardson contested that an employee simply walked into his office to ask a question.
When asked about the altercation in July, Adams said, “The town attorney told me not to comment on it.”
Richardson returned to work Aug. 7 and a temporary work agreement was made to approve his time off for the surgery, end his work Dec. 31 and other conditions. Beasley and Hyde signed and approved the work agreement.
Within the agreement it states, “Beginning the week of October 23, 2023, the employee is expected to take three weeks off.”
Also within the agreement, Richardson was expected to work virtually 3-4 days a week and come into the office 1-2 days a week.
Another condition in the agreement was that all other benefits available to full-time employees be reinstated retroactively to Richardson’s original hire date of May 22, 2023, to ensure that he would still have the paid sick days he earned even while temporarily quitting in July.
According to Richardson, Hyde asked why he requested this. Richardson did not want Adams to say Richardson quit, started in August and not give him the sick time he earned. Hyde said he could see Adams doing that.
Richardson was terminated Nov. 15, so he states his temporary work agreement was breached. He is requesting his unpaid time – valued at $9,920, according to the Complaint for Money Owed.
Richardson spoke with an attorney in Georgia and his recommendation was to get an attorney in Robbinsville and Richardson will get the $10,000 anyway.
“I’m 44, I’ve been working full-time since I was 17,” said Richardson. “In 27 years, it is the least professional place I’ve ever worked at.”
Richardson had high hopes when applying for the job.
He thought things were changing for the better.
“I still haven’t seen them turn things around,” Richardson said. “Every single thing that they did was bad.”
Next week: the town responds.