County fires veteran nurse for lying then trips over its own rulebook

The trouble started in January 2025. The county began investigating one of her coworkers, suspecting him of stealing work time. A private investigator confirmed the coworker had left his shifts to visit the nurse’s home on four dates that month. She wasn’t scheduled to work on any of them. 

The county called her in for two interviews – both on her days off – and asked whether the coworker had been at her home. She said no. When pressed again, she told interviewers her personal life was her own business and stopped answering. 

She later admitted to a referee that the coworker had, in fact, been at her home on those dates. 

On February 14, 2025, the county sent her a Loudermill letter – the formal notice a public employer must give before imposing discipline – stating she had violated its policy by providing false information during the interviews. She didn’t submit a written response by the deadline, and on February 20, 2025, the county terminated her employment for providing “false and misleading information.” 

Her union filed grievances. By June 2025, a settlement agreement converted the termination to an unpaid suspension. Under the deal, the worker and her union conceded the county had “just cause” to terminate her, and in return the county agreed to reinstate her. As of the unemployment hearing, she still hadn’t gone back.