An open letter to the Talbot County Council
Note: The Council was poised to vote on Tuesday February 11 on an administrative resolution (which does not require public comment) to remove from the county employee handbook a statement that employees are expected at all times to treat others with inclusion, dignity and respect. This expectation is based on the County’s interest in being able to hire, retain and promote a talented and diverse workforce which best serves the County. The language in question was added to the employee handbook in 2020 by unanimous vote of the Council. The Council meeting has been rescheduled to February 25 due to the snow.
I’d like to express my concern about the administrative resolution aimed at removing from the employee handbook a statement which makes it clear that county employees are expected to treat others with inclusion, dignity and respect at all times. I’m not sure what council members find offensive about this statement. Having worked in more than one toxic work environment in my lifetime, I can assure you that these expectations DO need to be spelled out in writing, so that employees who wish to go their own way and create an exclusionary or toxic environment for others can be held accountable. To allow such an environment to develop or persist in any county department is wasteful of county resources and taxpayer dollars. Please exercise your responsibility to oversee county employees by keeping in place the explicitly stated expectation that county employees treat EVERYONE with inclusion, dignity and respect at all times.
Thank you,
Mary M Yancey
Easton, MD
Michael Davis says
Excellent letter. Thank you for adding the thought that humanitarian statements also signal a desire by Talbot County to prevent a toxic work environment.
I’m old enough to remember “Whites Only” signs on the Eastern Shore and in Southern Maryland. Restaurants would have an area fenced off inside for White people. Removing statements encouraging respect for all people smacks of that disgraceful era.
Brian Wroten says
It’s very simple. They want a world that is undiverse, inequitable, and exclusionary.
Marion Arnold says
I am concerned that by removing the DEI statement, the county could potentially be seen as avowing discriminatory hiring or exclusionary treatment of its employees. Would this open the county up to lawsuits?
Rick Hughes says
Great letter, and I agree completely.
Pam Reynolds says
I echo the statements made by Talbot Spy readers and others in the community opposing the removal from the employeee handbook the expectations that all employees will be treated with respect and understanding of diverse cultures.
Mr. Sepp on the County Council gave as his reason for requestng the statement elimination was due to the new administration prohibition to DEI and the unfortunate result that it may result in the Federal government denying Talbot County funding. Let’s turn this around Talbot County residents and refuse to pay our county property taxes if the statement is eliminated (without even a public hearing). If it is all about money, as Mr. Sepp asserts, we’ll make it about money!
Ann Davis says
Mary, Thank you for expressing the point of view held by many people in our county, I’m sure.
I have written an email to the County Council members expressing my concerns about removing the
DEI statement from the Employees Manual. I received a response from only one council
member. That was supportive of our position. Thank you, Mr. Lesher.
Bishop Joel Marcus Johnson says
Thank you for this personal account in your own life and vocation, for your straight forward outlook and, most of all, for your moral vision. Peace be with you!
Donna Callejón says
Perhaps those who are concerned that this language might run afoul of the (horrible) executive orders of the President could suggest updated language that creates the same standard for employees but doesn’t use words that Elon Musk is searching for.
Mary Hunt-Miller says
Mary,
I couldn’t agree more. Thank you for writing this letter.