April 2nd 2024.
After her absence for medical reasons, Lauren Footman, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion officer for Delaware County, returned to find herself in a difficult situation. Despite her groundbreaking work, she was let go from her position after accusing her boss, Chief Administrative Officer Marc Woolley, of racial discrimination. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Footman was offered a severance package of 12 weeks if she withdrew her complaint to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). However, she declined the offer.
The events leading up to Footman's complaint began in November of last year when she filed with the EEOC. At just 32 years old, she accused 55-year-old Woolley of mistreating not only herself, but also other Black women employees. She also alleged that he had retaliated against her for bringing up previous internal concerns. However, an internal investigation conducted by Rudolph Clarke, a law firm, released a report in September of 2023 stating that Woolley's status as an African-American man did not protect him from discrimination claims made by African-American women. The report ultimately concluded that Woolley did not discriminate against Black women in his role as deputy executive.
Adrienne Marofsky, the spokesperson for Delaware County, expressed the county's stance on the situation, saying, "We do not tolerate or support hate and are actively working to ensure our DEI office and our next DEI official will have the impact that is needed here in Delaware County." She also clarified that Footman's termination was not related to her EEOC complaint.
Footman's decision to file the complaint coincided with her medical leave for anxiety and depression that she attributed to the challenging work environment. She had been hired in April of 2022 and in her complaint, she alleged that Woolley showed favoritism towards white employees, particularly white women. She cited an incident where Woolley arranged a meeting for a white female official facing a similar issue as Footman. Additionally, she claimed that Woolley had different standards for discipline for a white employee compared to a Black female employee. Footman also brought up an instance where her proposal for gender-neutral bathrooms was met with a dismissive comment from Woolley about directing transgender individuals to the bathroom he chose.
Woolley, on the other hand, denied all of Footman's allegations. The situation has sparked conversation about diversity, equity, and inclusion, with many pointing to the recent criticism of Baltimore's "DEI Mayor," Brandon Scott. It is clear that there is still work to be done in creating an inclusive and fair workplace for all employees, and Delaware County is committed to making that a reality.
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