The ATL Report

The City of Atlanta's HR Commissioner Tarlesha Smith has been placed on administrative leave by Mayor Andre Dickens, effective immediately. Deputy Chief Commissioner Jason Ingram is leading the HR department during her absence. This announcement from Chief Operating Officer Lisa Benjamin (Gordon) comes at the heels of an explosive City Council meeting discussing her bullying and failure to provide funds to Hartsfield-Jackson Airport's Maintenance Employees.  This was the second time since March the employees had voiced their concerns over unfair treatment, sexual harassment, and compensation.  Airport Employees Attend City Council Meeting March   It is alleged Commissioner Smith had a pattern of meeting with maintenance employees the day before city council meetings and urging them not to attend. Another tactic was scheduling "mandatory" meetings during council meetings to deter attendance. Commissioner Smith also taunted the employees and urged them to record the mee

Crime in the city of Atlanta dropped in 2023. Mayor Andre Dickens and Chief Darin Schierbaum should be commended for their efforts to make Atlanta safe again.  But when it comes to the airport safety is severely compromised.  Deputy General Manager Jan Lennon What measures need to be put in place to make it a safe place to decrease the robberies, assaults, guns and trafficking? Deputy General Manager Jan Lennon has been briefed several times on the issues that plague the airport. She has yet to execute a strategic plan that outlines the necessary steps needed to enhance safety measures for employees, vendors, passengers and volunteers. Her concern is less about the safety and more about promotion. Jan Lennon has initiated a less than traditional promotional plan for her assistant Shermaine Freeman who has gone from assistant/secretary to assistant director and now "interim" airport director in less than a year. It is evident that the promotions come from "loyalty" a

  Jaimeka "Jai" Ferrell A previous post discussed Jaimeka "Jai" Ferrell being noticeably absent from Hartsfield Jackson for over one month. There are many stories floating around about her departure, however no official statement has been released. Reporters are allegedly instructed by Communications Manager Andy Gobeil prior to any press events not to inquire about Deputy General Manger Jaimeka Ferrell and to stick to the subject matter. Her updated website name change (from FlywithJai to JaiFerrell.com ) shows that she is distancing herself from her role at Hartsfield Jackson Airport which can be a clear indication that Jaimeka Ferrell is attempting to secure a new role and save face before imminent termination. There will be additional information on the "why" soon.  Outside of the City of Atlanta, where can you misuse FMLA while attempting to secure another job?  If the termination or corrective action was being initiated prior to FMLA then there is no

The abuse of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) has increased at an alarming rate within the City of Atlanta.  FMLA abuse occurs when employees take undue time off by abusing the Family and Medical Leave Act rights. It is often challenging to end it because so many rules protect employee's right. The FMLA, or the Family and Medical Leave Act , may grant up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to specific staff members employed by the City of Atlanta annually.  Intermittent leave appears to be the main offender for the City of Atlanta's FMLA abuse. City employees who take intermittent leave sometimes stretch out their FMLA-eligible leave several times rather than taking it all at once and for one particular reason. Due to the complexity of the FMLA, many employers are reluctant to pursue employees, even when they are blatantly abusing their leave. The City of Atlanta's Issues: There is no minimum duration of time that employees are entitled to intermittent leave under FMLA Regulatio