Leiting Eligible For Unemployment Benefits

An Unemployment Law Judge is siding with former Fair Meadow Nursing Home Administrator Angie Leiting in her fight with the City of Fertile.  You’ll remember the City of Fertile, which owns Fair Meadow, gave Leiting a choice to resign or be fired in June.  At first, Leiting was denied unemployment benefits.  She appealed and that appeal took place this past Monday. 

On Thursday, the Unemployment Law Judge ruled that “evidence is insufficient to support a finding of employee misconduct” and that Leiting is eligible for unemployment benefits…and that she “was discharged for reasons other than employment misconduct.”

R&J News has obtained a copy of the Unemployment Law Judge’s ruling.  That ruling also includes details on what led to the Fertile City Council’s action.  For example, employee paychecks often had errors and Leiting was asked to include that information in her monthly report to the Council.  Eventually, she stopped doing so and the City Council didn’t bring the issue to Leiting’s attention.

Early this year, the City began an investigation after questions arose about Fair Meadow’s payroll reports. On June 20, Leiting was accused of improperly disposing of city property by selling unused equipment on Facebook Marketplace…..even though Fair Meadow held rummage sales pre-COVID to raise money.  She was also accused of making false statements to the Council, failing to report payroll adjustments to the Council, creating positions and moving pay scales without authorization and improper use of vacation time.

During the June 20 meeting, Leiting asked if she was being fired.  One Council member said “Yes.”  The City Council had prepared both a letter of resignation and a termination letter.

The Unemployment Law Judge wrote “a preponderance of the evidence established that the Council already made the decision to discharge Leiting.” And the Council member saying “Yes” when Leiting asked if she was being terminated further supports that finding.

The Judge also found that Fertile’s “City Code occasionally conflicts with Fair Meadow’s personnel policies….and the City’s accusation that Leiting created positions and altered pay scales without authorization is unfounded.”

The City of Fertile can appeal within 20 days.  There’s still no word when Leiting’s court case in Polk County will go to trial.