redstate.com ByĀ Jennifer Van LaarĀ
Back in 2022 we wrote about the terrible working conditions in the Environmental Health Division of the LA County Department of Public Health where, according to a whistleblower, Director Liza Frias runs a tyrannical and retaliatory toxic workplace. In spite of numerous actions by the employee union to address the issues, including sending cease and desist letters to Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer and a vote of no confidence, nothing has been done – and now there are deadly consequences.
Last Thursday, LA County Environmental Health Specialist Heather Hughes took her own life by jumping off the top of the 18-story building in which the Environmental Health Division is housed. Co-workers speaking to RedState on condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation say that Hughes had been dealing with depression for some time and that Associate Director Brenda Lopez denied Hughes’ request for a medical leave of absence despite it being recommended by Hughes’ doctor.
From a written statement a co-worker sent to RedState:
Hughes left a suicide note in her car accusing Brenda Lopez, Environmental Health assistant director, for her death. She accused Lopez, uniformly disliked by co-workers, of bullying, harassment, and not taking her needs and complaints about the division seriously.
Concerned for the welfare of others, Hughes chose to jump onto the parking structure instead of the plaza where passers-by could have been hurt. A selfless last act.
According to one account, just before her fatal plunge, a maintenance worker on the roof implored Hughes to step back from the ledge. A moment later, to his absolute horror, she jumped. Colleagues of Hughes also shockingly witnessed her fall event from their office windows.
Ironically, the health departmentās Suicide Prevention Department is housed in the same building.
The co-worker also told RedState that meetings have been held between senior management and members of the Board of Supervisors to attempt to keep information about the circumstances of Heather’s death from coming out in the media. Phone calls made by RedState to the Board of Supervisors on this issue were not returned.
An anonymous employee posted a similar account to Reddit.
OtherĀ co-workers added context on RedditĀ backing up what the original poster said.
Frias sent a memo to staff with the subject line “Unexpected Passing of a Colleague” announcing Heather’s death. She included information about employee assistance resources available for those struggling with the news of Heather’s death – ironic, given that Heather was asking for a medical leave of absence due to depression at the time of her death.
The next evening, after 5 PM, Ferrer acknowledged Heather’s death in an email to staff. Ferrer’s email used the exact same verbiage found in Frias’ email; she simply substituted her name for Frias’. Again, no acknowledgement of any mental health issues or offering resources for employees who are despondent over their work situation.
An inspector told RedState that department higher-ups told inspectors and supervisors on Friday that if any of them spoke to the media about this situation they would be fired…
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE… (redstate.com)
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