The Pine Bluff City Council Administration Committee overturned the firing Thursday of a court employee who had appealed her termination.
Aldermen George Stepps and Glen Brown Sr. reinstated LaTosha Harris to her position as jail deputy court clerk. District Court Judge John Kearney said he had fired Harris for insubordination stemming from her refusal to sign a paper from her immediate supervisor, District Clerk Veronica Young.
Young said Harris did not fulfill her duties. Young said she assigned tasks to Harris consistent with her job description.
Kearney said Harris told him that Young was harassing her. Kearney said he advised Young and Harris to ignore personal differences.
Young said she did not have a vendetta against Harris. Young said she had hired Harris in 2012.
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Harris said she had spoken with Stepps and that he advised her not to sign the document in question.
Young questioned how Stepps could advise Harris while also being an alderman who overturned her firing.
This is the second instance in which Harris was fired. The administration committee overturned her previous firing.
“We decided to reverse the termination and send her back to work,” Stepps said after the meeting. “There is no policy in the employee handbook that states a failure to sign the document constitutes insubordination.”
Stepps said Harris will return to work Jan. 20 in the same position and at the same rate of pay.
Alderwoman Thelma Walker is also a member of the administration committee. She was absent.