Jersey City is to approve $15K payment to settle city Health Department worker's claim

Published: Tuesday, September 27, 2011, 3:00 AM
By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal

Pamela Suchy/The Jersey Journal
Jersey City City Hall

The City of Jersey City is set to shell out $15,000 to settle a claim by a disabled city worker who says she was denied a handicapped parking space and then disciplined for complaining about it.

Rosalyn McFarland, who worked as a community relations specialist for the city Health Department, requested in October 2008 to receive a parking space near her office, according to a suit filed in federal court in March.

McFarland, who still works for the city, suffers from lung cancer that spread to her brain, according to the suit. She earns $28,750 annually.

Health Director Harry Melendez denied her request, and after additional requests were also denied, McFarland filed a complaint with the city Office of Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action, the suit reads.

Former Business Administrator Brian O?Reilly informed McFarland in an October 2009 letter that there were no spaces for her, according to the suit.

?This letter, however, did not address why other spaces assigned to non-disabled workers could not be relinquished or reassigned in order to accommodate? McFarland, the suit reads.

McFarland?s complaints eventually led to city officials disciplining her, for ?an ongoing pattern of filing complaints against various employees,? according to the suit. She was also barred from using ?certain office equipment? and prohibited from contacting certain co-workers, the suit says.

The City Council is scheduled to approve the $15,000 legal settlement at its meeting tonight.

A city spokeswoman declined to comment.