HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter from Vjera Stark 6-20-09 Stark 1
06/20/2009
Vjera Stark
2062 West Sacramento Ave
Chico, CA 95973-9627
Butte County Board of Supervisors ' �n
25 County Center Drive, Suite 200
Oroville, CA 95965
06/20/2009
To: Mr. Bill Connelly
Ms. Jane Dolan
Ms. Maureen Kirk
Mr. Steve Lambert
Mr. Kim Yamaguchi
Dear Gentlemen and Gentlewomen,
Respectful Members of the Board,
I am writing you to ask you for your help. I still strongly believe that I am a good worker of Butte
County, good human being, and the union member in good standing who deserves to be helped.
As I wrote to you once, you already know that I have certain problems with my supervisors at the
Butte County DESS where I work for over nine years.
In February 2009, I filed a complaint with EEOC in San Francisco,that I have been exposed at my
work place to worst kind of retaliation, isolation,marginalization, micromanagement and unfair
treatment. These practices have grown to the worse level of abuse, harassment, and discrimination.
These practices have also grown into for me hostile, unfriendly,highly unhealthy and unproductive
work environment. It has created in me sense of hopelessness,helplessness, fear, loss, and feeling
of social alienation. They have caused in me high level of stress,anxiety, and very severe
depressive mod swings. For these reasons I had to take medical leave.
These managerial practices have been denying me to exercise my employee rights which
automatically mean, I was denied to exercise my civil rights. The attacks, fear-mongering tactics,
and assignation of my character by my supervisors, have brought my physical existence to the high
level of inhumanization, and demoralization.
No one has right to treat another human being like that, and especially not the government agency
whose motto is"partnering for a safe community, and [...] treating clients and families with dignity
and respect". These philosophies are exactly those that I accepted and I have been following them
to the letter. Exercising superb work ethics in serving our clients and our community, I have been
pledging my un-denying loyalty to my employer-Butte County DESS and the Butte County in
general.
The EEOC is initiating the investigation after I filed the complaint. Somehow I have no fate that
the investigation will be objective because it will be conducted with the people from Butte County
CC�; R(D5 G aZii4'On cdll� &&M,,5
4
Stark 2
06/20/2009
Human Resources. I already tried to bring forward my problems to HR Director Laura Brunson,
talking to her twice. She already refused to hear my side of the truth. She already decided to "stick
together with the flock of feather."
It is obvious that the first and second line management have certain problem with me. I am not
disputing that. I just want you to help me find out what is that my management does not like about
me, or why is it, as I was told, "you got management against you." I believe this is a key problem
in my situation, but that problem has not been addressed yet.
The accusations from my Employee Improvement Plan of 02/12/2009,that I am allegedly
"discourteous, angry, loud and unprofessional"towards the workers I work with is not correct in at
least 999 percent cases. (I will allow possibility of a very minuscule exaggeration). With detailed
and conscious investigation, it could be easily found to be the fact. If one ask all workers or case
managers who interact with me on daily basis, they would give the raving remarks about my
professional work and personal interaction. In the last year when my supervisors are trying so hard
to "improve my professional conduct,"I received three Star Awards from the case managers
praising my work in every way. This would be my suggestion how the investigation should go.
I am not disputing the supervisory rights to improve their employee. I am not disputing at this point
that they have some issues with me and they want me improved. But I am disputed that those
accusations and events brought against me in the Employee Improvement Plan and the other
documents generated during past year could be considered as my"unprofessional conduct"at work.
Whatever other reasonable cause they have to bring forward against me, I welcome. Then we can
talk. But those they brought up so far are not standing up.
I am asking for your help in conducting thorough and detailed investigation regarding the issues
mentioned in my claim to EEOC. I am asking the investigation to be fear, impartial, objective and
based on the facts and the truth. You owe that much not just to me,but to your governing positions
and the Butte County as the government agency too.
I told you once that my only defense is truth. I need to add to my defense my healthy, logical, and
common sense mind. The proof that I am guided with a healthy and sound mind is the fact that four
years ago, at the age of 50, 1 obtained three degrees from Butte College with GPA 4.0. I am also
guided by my personal honesty, integrity and high moral principles.
Thank you for your time, understanding and consideration.
Sincerely,
Vjera Stark Sal°,"�o9