In the Circuit Court of the Second Judicial Circuit, Leon County, Florida, Stephanie Brown is suing the Florida Department of Children and Families, doing business as Florida State Hospital. The lawsuit was filed on March 4, 2024, under case number 24-CA-2024 CA 000377. The plaintiff alleges wrongful termination under the Florida Whistleblower Act.
Stephanie Brown, represented by an unnamed lawyer with a Florida Bar Number of 0739685, claims she was wrongfully terminated from her position as Administrative Secretary in January 2023 after reporting unlawful employment practices. She began her employment with the defendant in April 1994 and alleges that she faced retaliation after reporting poor treatment of residents and outdated Automated External Defibrillators (AED) machines. The action involves claims which are individually in excess of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), exclusive of costs and interest.
The plaintiff alleges that despite her stellar work performance during her employment with the defendant, she was subjected to disparate treatment and retaliation by several individuals including Dolisabel Steinhilbiler, John Polinowski, Peter Kennedy, Fred Norton, and Tony Reed. She also claims that she was treated less favorably than co-workers outside of her protected class including Shannon Grace, Catherine Rentz, Tanya Howell among others.
Stephanie Brown is seeking judgment for damages related to her wrongful termination under the Florida Whistleblower Act. She has retained a lawyer to represent her interests in this cause and believes that the defendant should be made to pay said fee.