JACKSON -- The agency has now asked for a rehearing before the court, which has yet to rule on that request.
As a "non-state service" employee, Rutland is not covered by the state Personnel Board and can by law be fired, without notice, for any reason other than "on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability or political affiliation . . . "
The appellate court ruled: "We find that the decision . . . finding Rutland's termination to be politically motivated, is supported by substantial evidence and must be afforded deference by this court." It affirmed the ruling that Rutland should be reinstated to her position as Hall's assistant, with back pay and benefits, and that all costs of the appeal be assessed to MDOT.
They said it
“Rutland testified that . . . Brown asked her for whom she worked. When Rutland stated that she worked for Hall, Brown became enraged and according to Rutland stated: 'The Bible says that you can only serve one master, and around here, I'm the G-d d----- master, that son-of-a-b---- Hall does not run this agency.' ” — from Mississippi Court of Appeals record
“That's totally untrue. I remember in one conversation I said you have to decide who your boss is here, you can't work for the department and the commission. I said that even in the Bible it says man can only serve one master. I was just stating the one-man, one-boss principle of management.” — MDOT Director Butch Brown, who called fired employee Rutland's testimony that he used curse words and claimed he was the master is "absurd."
“I've never seen anybody like (Butch Brown). His ego wouldn't fit in Madison Square Garden. He rules by fear. That's his management style, and all the employees know it. They all know why Shirley was fired, and the morale is horrible.” — Central District Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall
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