Former Va Manager Files Suit Against State Says ‘Flagrantly’ Flawed Report Hurt Her Professional Reputation

A former Department of Veterans Affairs manager has filed a $577,000 claim against the state, saying her resignation over a scandal at the Washington Veterans Home in Retsil has severely damaged her career.

Susan Cundy-Harris was asked to resign as the agency’s human resources director in May after a state-hired investigator criticized the way she handled sexual harassment accusations against the home’s superintendent, Harry Wedington.

Wedington was fired by Gov. Gary Locke on May 6 after an investigation found a pattern of mismanagement at the home, located near Poulsbo in Kitsap County. State officials said there was evidence that Wedington sexually harassed his staff, screamed at them, fired workers without cause and retaliated against those who stood up to him.

The investigation found no evidence of mistreatment of any of the home’s 300 residents.

Cundy-Harris had previously found no evidence of harassment.

A private investigator hired by the state to examine the claims again said Cundy-Harris failed to follow up on employee allegations that they were subjected to retaliation when they refused Wedington’s sexual advances.

Cundy-Harris said John King, acting director of Veterans Affairs, asked her to resign shortly after the report was released.

In her complaint filed Aug. 5, Cundy-Harris said the investigator, Jan Salisbury, was biased against her and issued a “flagrantly inaccurate” report. And she said state officials knew the report was inaccurate because she told them so.

The release of the report has “caused me to suffer professional disgrace; after more than 15 years in public service a total loss of reputation; loss of my job based on this flawed report; and significant difficulty in obtaining employment,” she said.

Dennis Karras, director of the state Personnel Department, encouraged personnel directors in other state agencies to read the report, which has impeded Cundy-Harris’ ability to find work, according to her claim.

Her tort claim names as defendants the governor’s office and the state departments of Personnel and Veterans Affairs.