Is the administration of the Volusia County Division of Corrections failing to properly lead their staff by example? Examine some of the statements by the DOC Director on the application of FMLA and Sick leave procedures.
Updated November 3, 2010
�A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.�- Author, John C. Maxwell
While doing some internet research on the Volusia County Division of Corrections, VolusiaExposed came across the below link to a 2005 U.S. Department of Justice - National Institute of Corrections (DOJ NIC) bulletin. Marilyn C. Ford, PhD. has been the Volusia County Corrections Director since March 2008. However, Dr. Ford has been very active in the corrections community for years, having numerous times participated in these DOJ NIC seminars.
Dr. Ford's leadership in the corrections community is both well known and highly respected. However, we here at VolusiaExposed.Com have developed some concerns in regards to her documented position on staff sick leave usage,in the particular her apparent application of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
We ask you to review pages 45-47 (as numbered on the bottom of the pages) of the below linked PDF file. We have discovered, what we consider to be, some disturbing comments by Dr. Ford.
On page 45, in the first paragraph, Dr. Ford appears to indicate that some of her staff have "character issues" in regards to sick leave usage. Really? We are left wondering if Dr. Ford would or could identify these staff members? Logically, it is possible, that if these staff members have "character issues" in their usage of sick leave, can they have character issues on other subjects, such as the application of the use of force, or the submitting of falsified reports surrounding the events proceeding inmate deaths?
Further on page 45 - Dr. Ford appears to state that her division has developed "fair and consistent procedures" in assigning temporary work accommodations for injured employees. However, on page 47 when asked if she has had any problems in the implementation of these "fair and consistent procedures", Dr. Ford appears to reply - "No, because we are VERY PICKY. If a request comes from a questionable individual, we may say that we don't have an appropriate position here, but you may work for the county." Hold on !!! - does that mean that if the request for an accommodation comes from a "questionable individual", the division would lie about having an available position? If so, does that sound very "fair and consistent"? Further, if the division administration has lied to any injured employee about having an available accommodation, solely based on a belief developed within the "picky" litmus test that the individual is "a questionable individual" - does that not make the division administration appear to have somewhat of a questionable character? In short, a correctional organization is a para-military operation, is it not? Therefore, shouldn't the administration of such an organization lead by example?
We also ask our readers to review page 50 of the bulletin. Does Dr. Ford indicate that her division has gotten "very tough" on the particular usage of "Intermittent (EMPHASIS ADDED) Family Medical Leave? We are left wondering how can a division "get tough" on the usage of an entitlement that is governed by Federal Law? We further wonder if "getting tough", being "picky" and maybe being willing to lie on whether an accommodation is available to an injured employee, all fall within the same garden of special terminology used by Division of Corrections to unfairly harass sick and injured employees? VolusiaExposed.Com does not hold or express an opinion on these matters, rather we are just presenting the documents and asking the obvious questions - we ask you, the reader, to make your own conclusions.
We noted that on page 50, Dr. Ford appears to state that "sick leave" is a benefit. Such a statement appears to be accurate since sick leave is a benefit granted by Volusia County. However, FMLA is not a county benefit, instead, it is a federal mandate - therefore by definition an entitlement?
We here at VolusiaExposed.Com now have a better understanding on why it appears that VCSO investigators have been "picky" on what evidence they will include in their jail death investigations. Why jail staff might be inclined to falsify cell block safety rounds - when their supervisors might have little to no problems manipulating the truth on whether there is or is not an available accommodating work position for an injured employee. Doesn't it appear that the administration have trained their subordinate staff well?
Is the culture of corruption alive and well within the Volusia County Division of Corrections? We ask you to review the below links and decide for yourself. Until then, we invite the employees of any division of the Department of Public Protection to forward us any documentation in support of the above concerns.