Lightfoot administration to pay $100,000 to settle whistleblower claims by former treasurer employee [View all]

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration has agreed to pay $100,000 to settle whistleblower complaints by two city treasurer employees who alleged they were improperly fired, records obtained by the Tribune show.

Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin dismissed her chief of staff, Tiffany Harper, in late 2020, as well as three other workers, as part of what she called an office shake-up. Harper and Ashley Evans, the treasurer’s former chief impact officer, alleged that their firings “violated the Illinois whistleblower act, federal laws, and a city ordinance,” according to a copy of their settlement agreement with the city.

Lightfoot’s Law Department settled the case last month, records show; Harper and Evans will each get $41,000 while their attorney will get $18,000.

The agreement between the workers and city officials stipulates that Harper and Evans must keep the agreement confidential.

Read more: https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-chicago-treasurer-whistleblower-lawsuit-settlement-lightfoot-20211124-5esia3mouncnjiqcb32owlwo4u-story.html