By a 7-1 vote, the board of the Deschutes County (Ore.) 911 District has fired comm center director Becky McDonald, saying she lied to them about an inappropriate relationship she had with the husband of a county dispatcher, and that the workplace had suffered from the incident. McDonald is a 15-year veteran of the agency, joining as a calltaker, and was appointed director three years ago. Last year an unnamed dispatcher filed a worker’s compensation claim, saying the workplace had become hostile for here because of McDonald’s relationship with her husband. McDonald first denied the relationship, but then later admitted it, according to 911 board members. She says both women were separated from their husbands when the relationship occurred. McDonald was put on paid administrative leave last year after the situation was revealed. At a hearing yesterday, the board members individually explained their votes, which legally could only be for reinstatement or termination. Most said McDonald lost their trust through giving different versions of the situation. McDonald has the right to appeal, and her attorney said she intends to do that. Read a news account here.
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Dispatch managers have been having inappropriate relationships with some of their dispatchers for years, so it should be no surprise when those managers target dispatcher spouses. Or for that matter when dispatchers and white shirts start bonking each other. In each case, it’s a classical hostile work environment but at most agencies complaints to upper management get the wink wink response.
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