Recently, a lawsuit filed by a former athletics administrator at Louisiana State University (LSU) was dismissed, clearing the university and its officials of any allegations of retaliation. The lawsuit had been filed by former LSU associate athletic director Sharon Lewis in March of 2019, claiming that she had been wrongfully terminated due to her refusal to comply with the university’s policy of not hiring people with criminal backgrounds.
Lewis had been employed at LSU since 2013 and was responsible for overseeing the school’s compliance with NCAA rules. She was terminated in 2018 after an investigation into her hiring practices revealed that she had hired an employee with a criminal background. The university argued that Lewis had violated their policy of not hiring people with criminal backgrounds.
However, Lewis argued that she had not been aware of the policy and that her termination was in retaliation for her refusal to comply with it. She also argued that the university had acted in a discriminatory manner, as the employee she had hired was African American.
The court ultimately dismissed the case, ruling that there was no evidence to support Lewis’ claims of retaliation or discrimination. The court found that the university had acted within their rights to terminate Lewis for violating their policy and that there was no evidence to suggest that her termination was motivated by any discriminatory or retaliatory intent.
This decision is a victory for LSU and its officials, as it clears them of any wrongdoing in the case. It also serves as a reminder to employers to ensure that they are following their own policies and procedures when making decisions regarding personnel matters.
