A former employee at the Fulton County jail filed a lawsuit in federal court last month, claiming that she was bullied after acting as a whistle blower.
Tracey Cunningham said in the suit that she was forced to retire from her job at the county after 16 years because of the emotional stress caused by retaliation and harassment. She last worked as a lieutenant, supervising food services and the kitchen at the jail.
Cunningham said she was treated as a "disgruntled employee" after she was a member of a class action suit filed against the sheriff's department. She claimed that the food contractor provided moldy, out-of-date food and used prisoner labor when it should have hired employees to work in food preparation.
Cunningham said in the suit that she was barred from entering the jail kitchen, even though she was supposed to be in charge of it. She also said an investigation found that she had been bullied, but nothing was done to stop it.
The suit was filed against Fulton County, the sheriff and the chief deputy sheriff in the U.S. District Court’s Northern District of Georgia in December. Cunningham seeks at least $2 million.
Tracy Flanagan, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office, said the matter is under investigation, and she would not comment. Jessica Corbitt, a Fulton County spokesperson, said she would prefer not to comment on pending litigation.
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