Court Rules on Discrimination Appeal
RALEIGH — Should a department head review an administrative appeal in a personnel matter in which he or she is personally accused of discrimination? The answer, says the N.C. Court of Appeals may be “yes.” Valerie Enoch, a black female, applied in 2001 for a promotion in the Alamance County Department of Social Services but a white male received the position. Enoch argued that she was the victim of racial and gender discrimination. An administrative law judge sided with the agency. The case then went to the Alamance DSS for a final determination, with the supervisor ruling on her own decision. Enoch contended that the procedure violated her due process rights.