Town Fires HR Director Who Questioned Layoffs

Framingham, Massachusetts Town Manager Julian Suso has fired labor lawyer Sandra Charton, the town’s human resources director.

Two months ago, Charton was placed on administrative leave after questioning the legality of layoffs the town conducted in March. Eight people were laid off and 29 positions were eliminated. Charton said the firings violated federal anti-discrimination laws, and were not based on seniority or any other discernible criteria.

Suso accused Charton, who was hired in 2007, of insubordination and abuse of authority, misuse of taxpayers funds and violation of the state’s conflict of interest law.

Framingham is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The population was 66,910 at the 2000 census.

The town’s government is based on the same “three legged stool” as the Federal government which has the executive, legislative and judicial branches. In Framingham a Town Manager and Board of Selectmen govern the town as executive, with a representative Town Meeting serving as the legislative branch. The five member Board of Selectmen is officially the judicial branch, but in fact is responsible for policy decisions that have no impact on the town that exceed the three years of their elected office.