A nine-year city of Shreveport employee is alleging age and racial discrimination after he was terminated for a variety of issues.
The man calls himself a whistleblower and says he brought to the attention of his supervisors irregularities — and even illegalities in the city’s finances and accounting.
That whistleblower is 85-year-old Ben Hebert.
He and his attorney Allison Jones put forth a list of multiple allegations during a news conference Monday afternoon.
Among them:
- The city fails to follow established accounting practices.
- The city failed to meet IRS and state revenue time constraints.
- The city often didn’t pay its credit cards on time.
Hebert says he brought to his supervisor’s attention the mayor was not properly submitting travel expenses. And that some of what was submitted and what he was being asked to do in approving them was illegal under state law.
Hebert said he was fired when he pointed it out to interim city chief financial officer Kasey Brown.
“Many issues with the mayor’s travel expense reports that include failure to provide itemized receipts for certain expenditures, little or no description of the purpose or benefits derived for the city from the trip, and other irregularities,” Hebert said.
“That Mr. Brown either approved these violations of state law or reported them up. We’re not sure at this point. But also that because he was the decision-maker for the termination, that he retaliated against my client,” Jones said.
Hebert says he refused to participate in what he felt were violations of state law. He believes he was also passed over for a promotion because of his age and his race. Employees understanding when job termination is retaliation can help in protecting their rights.
Jones says she will be filing complaints with the EEOC and the Louisiana Commission on Human Rights.
KTBS reached out to the Shreveport spokeswoman Marquel Sennet for a response to Hebert’s allegations. She said no comment can be provided due to pending litigation.
In a statement released Monday morning, Jones said, “Mr. Hebert has been denied promotions due to his age and race and has continuously refused to participate in and to continuously report financial transactions which he believes are in violation of state law. It is abundantly clear that the termination of his employment was retaliatory for his protected activity. The termination of Mr. Hebert’s employment within days of his reporting and refusing to participate in what he believes are financial improprieties and shortly following his complaints of discrimination makes the termination decision highly suspicious and should cause the City Council to ask some serious questions of the mayor and the current interim chief financial officer.”
Jones pointed out that Brown, the decision-maker regarding Hebert’s termination, is Perkins’ nominee for the permanent position of chief financial officer. The Shreveport City Council is scheduled to consider confirmation of Brown at Tuesday’s meeting.
In an open letter to the mayor and City Council, Hebert has requested to have Brown’s appointment postponed so the City Council can have sufficient time to review and investigate his allegations of possible financial improprieties.
“Mr. Hebert is calling on the City Council to do the right thing and take its time and conduct due diligence before placing Mr. Brown in such an important position on a permanent basis,” Jones said in her statement.
