Two unions representing Montgomery County government employees are demanding an independent state investigation into allegations of discrimination and other violations within the county’s human resources department.

They are alleging the same within the Occupational Medical Services department, which provides health and wellness services for county employees.

UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO, which represents county government employees who are not educators or first responders, and Montgomery County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 35 issued a letter Thursday stating that a complaint about the allegations filed to Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown’s office in February has languished.

“Montgomery County Government has effectively been allowed to investigate itself,” the letter said.

Advertise with us

Brown’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

According to the unions, former county Disability Program Coordinator Christopher Van Fultz, a service-connected disabled veteran, has alleged “systemic discrimination” against employees with disabilities — particularly disabled veterans and employees seeking reasonable accommodations — when he worked for the county’s HR department.

Van Fultz alleges employees requesting accommodations were subjected to “hostility, disparaging remarks, improper denials of accommodations,” and that the county violated the federal Americans With Disabilities Act. He further alleges that, after sounding the alarm internally, he faced retaliation and was terminated.

The county’s HR office and Occupational Medical Services office did not immediately respond to a requests for comment on the letter and the allegations Wednesday. A representative for the county executive office did not immediately provide comment.

“These allegations are deeply disturbing and demand a truly independent investigation,” MCGEO President Gino Renne said in the letter. “For months, these concerns have sat unresolved while the County has essentially investigated its own conduct. Employees and the public deserve confidence that any review of these allegations is impartial, transparent, and free from internal influence.”

Advertise with us

MCGEO has filed a union grievance against the HR department and Occupational Medical Services, alleging widespread and ongoing violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act, Montgomery County personnel regulations, Equal Employment Opportunity laws and the union’s collective bargaining agreement.

The union alleges employees were wrongly denied accommodations and lost wages and benefits, among other violations.