FARMINGTON – Franklin County commissioners have been notified that a former employee has filed a notice of claim with the Maine Human Rights Commission, county Clerk Julie Magoon said Thursday.
Commissioners voted Tuesday after an executive session to hire lawyer Peter Marchesi based in Waterville to represent the county in the matter, she said.
“That is all I can say,” Magoon said.
According to the Maine Human Rights Commission website, when the state commission receives a signed complaint of discrimination, a case number is assigned, and the respondent is provided with a copy of your complaint, along with a request for information and documents.
The person who filed the complaint will receive a copy of the material that is sent to the respondent. The respondent generally has one month to respond to allegations. Time extensions may be allowed at the discretion of the Human Rights Commission.
The website also says that a copy of the respondents answers will be sent to the person who filed the complaint when they are received by the commission. The person who filed will have the opportunity to review and provide, in writing, any information which would tend to show that the reason(s) given by the respondent for its action(s) is not accurate, or does not respond to allegations of discrimination.
As soon as is possible, an investigator will be assigned to the case. The person who filed the complaint will be notified of the name of the investigator and further communication should be made with that person. The investigator will review the file and notify both parties as to how the investigation will proceed.
In some cases, the investigator may decide to hold a fact-finding conference. In other cases, they may decide to conduct an interview with the person who filed either by phone or in person. Or they may decide that there is sufficient information in the file from both parties to conclude the investigation and issue an investigator’s report.
The investigator does not represent either party. The job of the investigator is to look at all of the information provided by both sides and to determine if there has been a violation of the Maine Human Rights Act, the website states.
dperry@sunjournal.com
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