The Auditor General’s Office received a complaint, through its operation of the City’s Fraud and Waste Hotline Program, involving allegations of retribution in contravention of the City’s Fraud Prevention Policy. The complainant, who had been terminated without cause, alleged that the termination was related to a complaint made to the Auditor General’s Office. Given the nature and sensitivity of the retribution complaint, the Auditor General escalated the matter directly to the City Manager for his review and attention.
Our Office coordinated the investigation and the resolution of this complaint in consultation with the Executive Director of Human Resources and the City Solicitor’s Office.
The complaint of retribution has been substantiated and the employee’s termination has since been rescinded.
In a separate letter to management, the Auditor General requested that the City Manager review the Auditor General’s finding of retribution with relevant management staff and take appropriate action.