Allegations of hostile work environment at Hamden Recreation Dept.

Two recreation supervisors within the Town of Hamden’s Recreation Department claim they have been subjected to a hostile work environment and retaliation since 2022, when Karen Bivens was hired as Director of Cultural Affairs & Human Services, according to numerous documents and emails received by Inside Investigator.

Hamden Recreation Supervisors Sallie Lowry and Nicole Brown Johnson claim throughout numerous emails and formal complaints that they are being micro-managed, targeted, and retaliated against by Bivens. That alleged retaliation includes interfering with their ability to do their jobs, written warnings, unilateral changes to their working hours and conditions, threats of not approving vacation time, and the town refusing to rehire Lowry’s son as a summer camp counselor.

“We no longer feel safe, comfortable, and respected at work,” Lowry and Johnson wrote to Human Resources Director Jordanne Bryan in a July 18, 2024, email. “We feel our environment is now becoming harmful to our mental health. We are losing trust in the department and feel uncomfortable presenting in front of our peers, pursuing advancement, or leading projects for fear of humiliation or backlash.”

“Ms. Bivens routinely creates an environment within the department that creates a hostile work environment and spreads a general toxicity with staff and she has single-handedly destroyed the morale of the department of which I have been faithfully a part of for decades,” the email continued.

According to affidavits submitted to the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO), trouble began in 2022 when Lowry indicated to the newly hired Bivens that she would seek a promotion to supervisor. In response, Bivens asked when Lowry would retire, which spurned a report to Human Resources, and relationships began to deteriorate from there.

A 2023 human resources investigation into Lowry’s complaints of a hostile work environment revealed employees were fearful of losing their jobs in retaliation for their witness testimony. The investigation determined the work environment “has been hostile, tense, unhealthy, and that it has caused employees to experience considerably heightened anxiety.”

Furthermore, according to the report, Bivens had “sought Mayor Garrett to implement disciplinary action against Ms. Lowry for making a(n) error(s) within the summer camp’s payroll.” 

However, the investigation determined Lowry had made no such error. Bivens indicated to one witness that she wasn’t speaking to Lowry at the time because of a harassment complaint against her. Witnesses interviewed said they believed Bivens was “trying to find something wrong against Ms. Lowry.”

Emails and an August 2024 harassment complaint submitted by Johnson to Hamden’s Human Resources Department show Johnson’s vacation request to Bivens was ignored up until the last week before she was to go on vacation. 

Bivens emailed Johnson on July 31 that she would only approve the August 5 vacation request after particular tasks had been completed. 

“I believe this is a clear abuse of power and harassment by holding approval hostage for vacation days that I have earned and requested 30 days ago,” Johnson wrote an the August 2024 complaint. “This has been a continuous pattern of behavior from Director Bivens. The constant abuse of power, harassment and retaliative nature. It is overwhelming to continue navigating this toxic and hostile environment.”

That same August, both Lowry and Johnson received written warnings from Bivens for insubordination, work quality, and safety issues over several listed problems during one of the July summer camps. Those problems included Bivens not being immediately notified of an after-hours water pipe break, an altercation between two camp counselors, unauthorized visitors, payroll issues, and even camper t-shirts being too big.

Lowry and Johnson filed a grievance against the discipline and the town reached an agreement with the union in which they will be provided “clear written expectations in a corrective counseling session,” and that all parties will “commit to meeting the expectations of their positions and fostering a positive and harmonious work environment.”

If there are “no further recurrences of like or similar behavior” for a year, according to the agreement, they can have the written discipline removed from their record.

By December of 2024, Lowry filed another complaint for “working out of class” after Bivens allegedly ordered Lowry, Johnson, and an Art & Culture Assistant to the Thorton Wilder Hall on a Friday afternoon and had them clean tables with Lysol wipes following a senior services luncheon. According to the complaint, the custodian supervisor arrived and said his staff would take care of it, but they continued to clean.

“Recreation Supervisors were apprehensive due to past incidences with Director Bivens and completed the task as directed,” the complaint states. “On Saturday, the task of cleaning tables was repeated by the Recreation Supervisors on Saturday 14, 2024, as instructed by Director Bivens.”

And while all parties may have committed to ensuring a harmonious work environment, that does not appear to have happened. In an interview, Lowry said she believes the town did not rehire her son as a camp counselor after he had done the job for two years as retaliation. 

“The last straw was not inviting my son back for camp staff and not saying anything. It’s okay if you’re not going to bring him back but at least have some conversation. I wrote and asked the mayor, why not?” Lowry said. “I do believe the reason she didn’t invite my son back is because of me.”

She also states that other town staff members have had similar experiences and have reported them to human resources.

According to Hamden town policy, bullying and harassment of town employees includes “inappropriate conduct or comment by a person towards an employee that the person reasonably ought to have known would cause that employee to be humiliated or intimidated,” and such conduct “is not acceptable or tolerated.”

Reached for comment, Hamden official said they couldn’t comment on personnel issues, but did indicate they have retained an independent investigator to look into the matter.

“We take all employee concerns and allegations very seriously,” Hamden Chief of Staff Sean Grace said in an emailed statement. “While we cannot comment on specific personnel matters or investigations due to confidentiality or privacy obligations, we can confirm that we follow a thorough and impartial process in reviewing all reported issues. Our priority is to ensure a safe and respectful work environment for all employees. The town has provided training for employees.”

Hamden has become the center of much attention lately as the town’s property revaluation and budget problems have spurred a massive property tax increase that has drawn well-publicized outrage and criticism during budget town hall meetings. Hamden has long suffered from high property taxes and debt issues related to town employee pensions.

Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett said the steep revaluations were due to pandemic-related bidding wars which drove up home values.

Both Lowry and Johnson have filed complaints with the state CHRO and those complaints remain pending. Grace says the town is expecting the independent investigation and will take further action pending that report.

“I can confirm that the Town anticipates receiving the report of the independent investigator retained to look into this matter,” Grace said. “We will withhold further comment until the results have been reviewed and a determination has been made concerning the appropriate disposition.”

“I just want the truth out there,” Lowry said.