Former jail C.O. settles with county

LEE COUNTY – A former Lee County correctional officer has been awarded a $50,000 settlement with the county.
At Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Lee County Board of Supervisors, supervisors approved a $50,000 settlement payment to former correctional employee Deneen Hamner. The move came following a 15-minute closed session where supervisors discussed the settlement prior to approving it in open session.
According to affidavits as part of an Iowa unemployment case, Hamner was fired on Sept. 17, 2024 after 15 years of employment. Lee County asserts Hamner was fired for misconduct involving an investigation into several incidents in the summer of 2024.
However, Hamner was awarded regular unemployment benefits and then filed a suit with the Iowa Office of Civil Rights (formerly the Iowa Civil Service Commission) seeking monetary compensation from the county for damages as a result of the termination.
In Hamner’s testimony to the Iowa Administrative Hearings Division – Unemployment Insurance Appeals Bureau, Hamner contended she was bullied at work by a supervisor and recorded one of the instances with her body camera, which violates county policy for body camera recordings.
Several investigations by the Lee County Sheriff’s determined Hamner’s allegations were unfounded. As part of the investigation, the sheriff’s department uncovered incidents of policy violation by Hamner and began an investigation into her conduct. In that investigation, the body camera incident was reviewed along with another incident of her calling a female inmate a derogatory name during booking.

On Sept. 16, 2024 Hamner was told she could resign from her position or she would be fired. She refused to resign and was fired on Sept. 17 for conduct. She then applied for unemployment benefits and was awarded benefits on appeal.
The county initially denied the claims Hamner put forth in the Civil Rights office claim, but agreed to settlement language including the $50,000. sum. The payments are to come in two payments $33,180.75 to Hamner and $16,819.25 to Duff Law Firm, P.L.C. for Hamner's attorney expenses.
Hamner is responsible for all taxes associated with the payments, and the agreement requires her to withdraw the complaint pending with the state Civil Rights Office, and withdraw a subsequent complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission with seven days of receipt of the payments.
The release also includes any future claims in connection with the actions of both parties, leaving the county harmless going forward.