Former tourism director sues Chamber for wrongful termination
Kelly, who was tourism director for nearly 10 years, was fired by the Chamber's board of directors in
Kelly's petition alleges Moore was her direct supervisor and was therefore responsible for overseeing payment of her salary, benefits, and tax withholdings.
She says Moore allowed her health insurance to lapse, and also failed to pay the required withholdings that should have been sent to the
Kelly said she reported the lapse of her health insurance to then-Tourism Vice President
Kelly was initially placed on paid administrative leave, but said she learned she had been fired when she was asked for comment by a local reporter
When Kelly later tried to file for unemployment benefits, her request was denied because the OESC had not been paid, and coverage had been stopped.
But Kelly also claims that, in spring 2015, she was contacted by the
Kelly also suggests the Chamber allowed local media representatives to be present at the meeting where the decision to terminate her employment as made.
"One such reporter contacted Kelly for comment," the petition states. "... [The Chamber] did such acts deliberately and intentionally to cause ... an innocent whistleblower, severe emotional distress."
Kelly says she was loyal to the Chamber when she was tourism director, and her own financial security and health insurance depended on her employment. She says she has suffered "severe emotional distress, anxiety, sleeplessness, and physical symptoms" due to the "outrageous" actions of the Chamber and Moore.
"Because the acts taken toward Kelly were carried out by the defendants acting in a deliberate, cold, callous, and intentional manner in order to injure and damage her, Kelly requests the assessment of punitive damages against each defendant in an amount appropriate to punish and make an example of the defendants," the petition states.
Kelly lists six "causes of action," and in each, asks for damages of more than
She is represented by
Kelly has demanded a jury trial.
Moore is charged in
Investigators allege Moore used Chamber funds for gambling at casinos, attending entertainment events, and to pay his personal bills. The Chamber's bank account had been overdrawn hundreds of times, resulting in overdraft fees of more than
And auditors estimated at least 33 percent of the expenses paid through the Chamber's bank account had been misappropriated during a five-year period of Moore's tenure with the entity.
Moore has pleaded not guilty and is free on a
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