Anthony Lyons Attorney Dallas Texas – Dallas County has fired Health and Human Services Director Zach Thompson following allegations of sexual harassment made by another Dallas County employee, according to a statement from the law firm representing the woman.
“Our client has alleged a pattern and conduct of sexual abuse, harassment, intimidation and retaliation by Mr. Thompson,” law firm Spencer Scott said in a statement, before accusing the district of taking too long to respond to the allegations. “After receiving the allegations, Dallas County officials failed to take adequate steps to remedy the situation and protect the victim.”
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James Honeycutt, an attorney representing the unnamed woman, did not return an interview request from the Observer, but told the VFAA that his client suffered both physical and verbal harassment from Thompson.
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Word of Thompson’s firing came out Thursday afternoon. Initial media reports said the longtime administrator, who had been in the job since 2003, resigned on Jan. 31, but a DCHHS spokeswoman later told the Observer that Thompson was fired on Dec. 29. Later Thursday evening, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins approved a third release date for Thompson – Jan. 3.
Attempts to reach Thompson by phone were unsuccessful Friday afternoon. His lawyer, Anthony Lyons, told the Observer on Monday that all the allegations against his client are false. Contrary to statements from Lyons County, Thompson also never refused to participate in the investigation of the incidents. He and his client learned of the allegations against Thompson when the media began reporting them, Lyons said.
According to a statement from the plaintiffs’ attorney, the woman intends to work with the district to make sure no other employee suffers the way she did and is eager to return to work.
“We look forward to working with Dallas County officials to ensure safety, closure and justice for this employee and to ensure that additional employees do not become victims of the same harassment that our client experienced,” the statement said. “Mr. Thompson’s dismissal this week is a step forward for our client and a sign of the serious nature and validity of her claim. She is eager to work in an environment free of constant mental anguish and fear of when the next instance of harassment will occur.” Or there could be retaliation.”
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Steven Young has written about Dallas news for the Observer since 2014. He is a native of Dallas and a graduate of the University of North Texas.
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DALLAS – The longtime director of the Dallas County Department of Health and Human Services has been fired after a woman came forward with a claim of sexual harassment, according to multiple high-level sources in the county.
Zachary Thompson was fired Wednesday by District Administrator Darryl Martin over the allegations, sources said.
James Honeycutt, an attorney representing the woman, confirmed the county has been notified of the allegations. He said there was more than one incident of sexual harassment involving Thompson and that it involved both verbal and physical accusations.
“My client alleged that the county did not respond adequately or in a timely manner to protect her,” he said.
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A tweet from the DCHHS account said Thompson was “no longer in Dallas County” as of Dec. 29. Ganesh Shivaramayer, assistant director of the department, has been appointed as interim director.
The tweet referred all media inquiries to Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins. A statement from Jenkins said Thompson was terminated Wednesday.
As of December 29, Zachary Thompson is no longer in Dallas County. The Interim Director is Ganesh Shivaramayer. All media inquiries will be directed to Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins. — Dallas County HHS (@DCHHS) January 4, 2018
A reporter who was at Thompson’s Cedar Hill home Thursday night saw him inside, but he refused to come to the door. He was supposed to retire on January 31.
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Anthony Lyons, an attorney representing Thompson, said he learned he had been fired from the media. He says no one from the district has contacted Thompson about the allegations.
“He was not given an opportunity to respond to the allegations,” Lyons said. “It is a strange and strange turn of events.”
He says Thompson notified the district nine months ago via email that he was retiring at the end of January.
Lyons added that Thompson was not escorted out of the building as sources claimed. He said Thompson hasn’t been on the job since December because he burned through the completion time before he retired.
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The woman filed a sexual harassment charge against Thompson with human resources last week, according to district sources familiar with the situation. The woman is a healthcare executive, sources said.
Later last week, the woman’s attorney sent a letter to the district, asking that she no longer be required to report to Thompson, sources said. The letter said the woman had DNA evidence, sources said.
Thompson has been with the county health department since 1996 when he was hired as the HIV program manager. Later that year, he was promoted to deputy director. He held that position until 2004, when he was promoted to director of the department.
Thompson made national news for heading the Dallas health department during the 2012 West Nile outbreak and when the first patient diagnosed with Ebola in the United States was brought here in 2014.
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Thompson previously worked as an instructor at Eastfield College. He studied there in the fall, the school says, and will not be studying there next semester.
Thompson earned an associate’s degree from El Centro College before transferring to UTA, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in social work. He holds a master’s degree from Amber University. He ran the West Dallas Community Center for 13 years before being hired by the county health department.
The Spencer Scott law firm, which is representing the woman, released a statement Friday afternoon. The statement said Thompson had “a pattern and conduct of sexual harassment, harassment, intimidation and retaliation by Mr. Thompson.”
The law firm of Spencer Scott is representing a Dallas County employee who alleges sexual harassment by Zachary Thompson. Our client alleged a pattern and conduct of sexual abuse, harassment, intimidation and retaliation by Mr. Thompson. After receiving the allegations, Dallas County officials failed to take adequate steps to remedy the situation and protect the victim.
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We look forward to working with Dallas County officials to ensure safety, closure and justice for this employee and to ensure that additional employees do not become victims of the same harassment