Federal Employees: You be the Judge

...but today there was a deposit for $100,000, plus pecuniary damages, which were minimal. It’s still hard to believe.

All things considered, I’d still rather have been accommodated when I asked. I’d rather my Agency had followed the law. I’d rather my boss had bothered to read my medical documentation. I’d rather have retired with the respect of my peers. I’d rather have not been forced to work with SES-ers while feces was running down my leg.
I was denied those options.

After SIX YEARS,
- I got $100,000+.
- My attorneys got more than that.
- My lying boss & the lyIng EEO Director got disciplined.
- Their lying attorney lost her case.
And all of it got posted installation-wide instead of just in my boss’s Division.

I’d have settled for just my attorney fees, years ago, just to have it over.... but the Agency had to spend half a million $ fighting.

My husband has always said this would happen eventually. I always told him, “We’re never going to see one penny.” Today, he won the argument. 💕

Thank you to all you regulars who come here & help people like me every day. I am so grateful & could never have made it through all this without the help of this forum. I hope you all know who you are.

I’ll be lurking occasionally & will answer private messages as I can. I would like to pay back some of the kindness that was extended to me.

Edited by user Wednesday, March 25, 2020 7:51:28 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Thank YOU! I hope your Agency appreciates your expertise.

I didn’t ask. I was eligible to retire about two years after I requested accommodation.

I’m much healthier retired & financially, it’s been fine, so no big complaints on that front. I don’t even remember asking for $100K in damages. I definitely never expected that..

But you framed it exactly the right way, imo. While $100K is nice to have & will help make my family more comfortable, in the grand scheme of things, it represents a lot of work on my part & a bunch of other ppls’ parts too!

You were a huge help. Your plain talk was informative & helped me understand what I was up against. I appreciate you.

Edited by user Friday, March 27, 2020 2:03:29 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Someone asked me who my attorney is & it occurs to me that info might help someone down the road.
I chose Rosemary Dettling at Federal Employees’ Legal Services Center. She’s great in court settings.

I paid a healthy retainer up front. Plan on that.

Rosemary didn’t hold my hand, but I didn’t need her for that. I needed her to advise me when I was still facing hostility from my boss & I especially needed her help to maneuver all the timelines & legal hurdles. I didn’t count on her to handle everything. I studied & asked questions here so that I was able to put the basics of my own “case” together. I drafted my answers to Agency motions, etc. using plain language, attached copies of evidence & sent them to her. I was an active participant. She didn’t ASK me to do that. I just did it.

Employment lawyers know the grim statistics. Most cases can’t win... so you need to participate & help your attorney understand your case. I was glad to have Rosemary because she listened, and had the knowledge to work effectively with what I gave her. She also knew exactly which questions to ask at the hearing. I had some documentation, but the Agency had all the witnesses. Rosemary got key witnesses to admit what they did.

I say this stuff to help ppl who are thinking of hiring an attorney manage expectations. An attorney is a great thing. I recommend it. However, an attorney costs way too much to do ALL the work.

If you care who I am or who my Agency is, you can Prob figure it out from this information. That’s fine.
I’d ask that if you do, please excuse the way I changed some of the details of my case early-on. I was trying to prevent my Agency from harassing me here.

Also, please know that I still believe in my Agency’s mission with my whole heart, and I would like you to know that the people who did this stuff to me were, for the most part, not the great scientists that made that Agency what it is.

Edited by user Saturday, April 4, 2020 9:10:11 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Congratulations!, I am so happy for you.