Amber Howell, the former director of Washoe County Health and Human Services, has filed a $300,000 lawsuit against the county, alleging retaliation and discrimination after she reported federal policy violations.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Nevada, claims county employees targeted Howell after she flagged misconduct related to county housing programs. Howell states that in the summer of 2022, she discovered that a county employee overseeing the Continuum of Care program was giving preferential treatment to a homeless client at the Cares Campus.
The client, despite a low housing assessment score, a criminal background, and accusations of mistreating staff, was allegedly moved to the top of the wait list for federal housing vouchers and secured a permanent housing match. Howell asserts that this action violated U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development policies.
Howell claims she raised concerns with an assistant county manager, but no action was taken. In April 2023, Howell says the county launched an investigation into her following complaints from county employees who accused her of substance use on the job.
Despite testing negative for drugs and alcohol, Howell was placed on unpaid leave weeks later.
During the investigation, Howell says she was diagnosed with multiple mental health disorders and began seeking treatment. She notified the county of her conditions and requested leave under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, in July 2023, she received a letter from the county manager recommending that the county commissioners terminate her employment.
According to Howell’s attorneys, the county forced her resignation by pressuring her to release her health records in a public meeting if she challenged her termination. They argue that the county retaliated against Howell for flagging the initial policy violations and discriminated against her by failing to provide reasonable accommodations as required by federal law under the ADA.
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