Topeka — The Kansas Department of Human Resources has warned its employees against talking either with attorneys or reporters in light of allegations that some of the agency's highest-ranking officials discriminated against women.
A memo circulated to employees from Glenn Griffeth, deputy chief legal counsel for KDHR, was in response to allegations first aired in the Journal-World.
Three women, including two former division directors and a current program director, have filed complaints with the Kansas Human Rights Commission, alleging sexual discrimination.
In the complaints, the women allege men were paid more for similar work, and when the women brought up the matter, they suffered retaliation. The women also allege high-ranking officials created a hostile work environment for them.
One woman, Jill Crumpacker, has filed a federal lawsuit in which she alleges she was subjected to sexual discrimination and later fired after she blew the whistle when an agency computer had been used to download pornography from the Internet.
KDHR Secretary Richard Beyer has denied the allegations, but has declined to elaborate.
In the memo to "KDHR shareholders," Griffeth says attorneys for the women might try to contact KDHR employees.
"I simply want to remind everyone that you are under no obligation to speak to opposing counsel who may contact you," the memo states.
"Also, if you are in a management position, counsel should not be contacting you without our permission. Additionally, don't forget there is a Department Directive on media contacts in case you should be contacted by the media."
The directive referred to is from 1996, according to KDHR officials. It says that KDHR employees cannot talk to the media without prior authorization from a division director, who then notifies the communications director.
Any request for authorization must include specifics about who the reporter is and the questions he or she wants to ask. The head of the agency then must be informed about the request for authorization, according to the directive.
Griffeth declined to comment on the memo.
Gene Graham, an attorney for Crumpacker, said he was troubled by the memo.
"If they don't have anything to hide, I don't know why such a memo would be sent out," he said.
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