Friends of Animals Fires Whistle Blower

[Guest guest]

Former employee alleges FoA spending millions of dollars of donors money

in lawsuits against PETA.

 

http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/darientimes/news/local/44521-former-darien-animal-charity-employee-claims-she-was-fired-for-being-sick-whistle-blower.html

 

 

 

 

Former Darien animal charity employee claims she was fired for being

sick, whistle blower Written by Susan Shultz

Friday, 18 December 2009 11:00

UPDATED ­ A former employee of Darien-based Friends of Animals is

suing the non-profit for wrongful termination.

Sharon Konspore, who worked for the animal rights charity from May 2008

until she was fired last month, said in papers filed with the Stamford

State Superior Court that the firing was in retaliation for reporting

“illegal and unethical behavior” by Friends of Animals, as

 

first reported on DarienTimes.com Monday.

 

Konspore was an accountant at Friends of Animals when she discovered what

she believed to be a “misuse of donated funds.” The money was related to

Primarily Primates in Texas as well as excessive spending while the

charity, she said, was losing money.

Konspore took her concerns to the staff of the charity, according to

court papers, as well as the state attorney general’s office, both of

which resulted in her termination, she claims.

Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals, told The Darien Times

on Monday that the termination was a result of Konspore being unwilling

to return to work after going on disability.

“We’ve been in business 52 years, and occasionally when someone leaves,

they turn around and sue you. There is no merit. Our insurance company is

hiring an attorney to defend us,” Feral said.

Feral said that the court papers the charity was served with were the

first indication that Konspore had reported Friends of Animals for

misusing its donations.

“We had now knowledge whatsoever of this,” she said

Feral said that the primate sanctuary in Texas was a proper use of an

animal-friendly charity’s donations.

“She’s alleging something wrong in investing in the future of a

sanctuary. It is a crazy idea. Whatever she alleges is to torment us into

paying her a whopping sum of money. This is a harassment lawsuit,” Feral

said.

Feral said that Konspore was healthy when she started but then took a

three-week leave related to her ongoing Lyme disease, but Feral said that

when she was asked Konspore to return she declined.

“We said we can’t hold your job. We need a full-time accountant. For that

we got a lawsuit. She’s done a wrong thing,” Feral said.

Konspore’s attorney, Mark Sherman, said that this is a case of

retaliation.

“Sharon reported what she believed to be improper business practices. Her

only concern was the welfare of the company and the generous people who

give to this charity year after year. In return, she was harassed,

intimidated and received a pink slip as an early Christmas gift. It’s

time that this company be held accountable,” Sherman said in a statement

to The Darien Times.

In letters obtained by The Darien Times, Sherman advises Friends of

Animals of Konspore’s health issues as well as advising the charity of

his investigation into possible whistleblower retaliation due to

Konspore’s reporting to the state attorney general.

A letter from Friends of Animals in response to Sherman’s letter notes

that Konspore’s position is no longer available and says that the

information regarding Konspore’s reporting to the attorney general was

new information. Both letters were dated Nov. 3.

Regarding Feral’s comments to The Times, Sherman said that Feral’s

statements were “misleading.”

“Ms. Feral’s misleading statements reveal precisely why Sharon is

bringing this lawsuit. FOA was on notice of this disability since the day

Sharon was hired and she regularly provided management with updates as to

her battle with this disease,” Sherman wrote in an e-mail to The Darien

Times.

Konspore never refused to return to work, Sherman said.

“She merely requested an extension of time to notify FOA of her return

date so that she could consult with her Lyme disease doctors. In response

to this request, she was unceremoniously fired. For a company whose

mission is to sympathize with animals, they have treated a human being

afflicted with Lyme disease with insensitivity and callousness,” he

wrote.

Feral contacted The Times on Tuesday, to share a Konspore e-mail she

obtained after DarienTimes.com first reported this story Monday

afternoon. In the e-mail, sent by attorney Sherman to Konspore, then

forwarded to a Friends of Animals employee, Sherman told his client that

Feral’s comment to The Times that Friends of Animals’ insurance company

is hiring a lawyer is a “good thing.”

Feral said that Konspore used misjudgment in forwarding the e-mail and

said the e-mail made it clear the lawsuit was about getting money from

the charity.

Sherman stood behind his e-mail that had been forwarded by his

client.

“Yes, it is good news that their insurance company is involved. In light

of the fact that FOA is burning millions of charity dollars on legal fees

against PETA, a presumed ally ­ Sharon can now breathe a little easier

that she will be able to collect her lost wages and damages from this

company,” he said.

“It is disingenuous that a CEO of a charity would consider Sharon’s

request to consult with her doctors about her debilitating disease as

insubordination and grounds for termination. FOA’s lack of compassion

really sets the tone for this lawsuit. We look forward to our day in

court,” Sherman added.

sshultz

 

 

 

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