employee communication as record
http://www.lakenewsonline.com/news/x2111989787/More-questions-arise-from-termination
Former employees' allegations raise more questions about termination
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Camden County, Mo. —
A former Camden County employee alleges that a Camden County Commissioner acted inappropriately when the employee was placed on administrative leave and later terminated.
The allegations stem from an email incident the former employee and other sources said happened in mid-April when he inappropriately accessed and shared email correspondence belonging to another county employee.
Tony Beabout, a 5-year employee of the county's IT department, said well more than a month prior to being placed on administrative leave, he had informed Presiding Commissioner Kris Franken that he, without permission from his supervisor, had accessed an email account belonging to a family member who also works for the county and subsequently shared the information with a non-county employee.
Beabout said the email was of a personal nature and not related to county business.
Beabout said he went to Franken after accessing the email account because he became concerned that a courthouse “rumor mill” would start talking about it.
Beabout said the email incident was reported to Franken on/or about April 14. Beabout said he went to Franken on his own and was willing to accept punishment for his actions. At the time, Beabout alleged Franken did not take any disciplinary action. Beabout alleged Franken also talked to the family member whose email account was accessed and the non-county employee who the information in email was shared with.
Beabout said everyone (including the non-county employee) was told that it was not a punishable offense and no action would be taken.
The sequence of events is now in question.
From mid-April to July 1, Beabout said there was no mention of the email incident from Franken or any other members of the commission.
In late June, rumors began surfacing at the courthouse, and an anonymous tip led the Lake Sun to begin looking into the allegations about questions that were raised about misuse of email.
Commissioners Thom Gumm and Bev Thomas said they had no prior knowledge of any employee accessing another employee’s email account and sharing it with a non-county employee.
On June 30, Franken said he was "not sure about what you are alluding to with the email situation," in an email correspondence.
On July 1, shortly after the Lake Sun started making inquiries, Beabout said he was called in by the county commission.
During the meeting, he was placed on administrative leave for security reasons. Beabout said during the conversation, he was told that somehow the Lake Sun had found out about the situation and the county had to address it.
Beabout was asked to sign a document called the “last chance agreement” in order to save his job.
The agreement outlined Beabout’s alleged offenses, but the agreement that the Lake Sun has obtained does not indicate when he is supposed to have violated county policy. The agreement contains a detailed list of requirements that Beabout was expected to follow, including denying him the right to file any grievances or suits against Camden County.
The agreement states Beabout provided email information and records to a private citizen without authorization, abuse privileges associated with having administrative rights on the county system and breaching the security of the system without authority.
Beabout said he refused to sign the agreement based on the advice of his attorney. On July 29, he was terminated. The letter sent to him by the county commission states he was terminated not for the email issue, but for not signing the last chance agreement.
Beabout has filed for an appeal as allowed by Camden County personnel policies.
The hearing is expected to be held later this month.
In the meantime, the county commission has filed an official request with the Camden County Sheriff's Department to request a criminal investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Contact Lake Media Editorial Director Joyce L. Miller at joyce.miller@lakesunonline.com.
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