OUC supervisor demoted after employee complaints prompt investigation

An outside investigation into the Orlando Utility Commission, which was prompted by complaints to an employee hotline, found evidence there is a perception of racial discrimination and favoritism at the Stanley power plant, according to documents released Tuesday.

The investigation led to the demotion of a high-level employee at OUC.

“We put a work plan in place and we're going to work that plan,” said Clint Bullock, OUC CEO.

Inside the Stanton Energy Center in east Orange County, some employees described an ugly work environment that breeds “preferential treatment, safety violations (that are) overlooked, (an) intimidating hostile work environment where employees are verbally abused, berated and Black employees are denied advancement" for whites, documents show.

Investigators said they found no concrete evidence of favoritism or racial discrimination, but some incidents may have created the perception.

One example mentioned in the investigation is that "lead technician positions (at the plant) are not posted nor selected through a competitive process, but appointed by supervisors," documents show.

A chart contained in the investigation shows some were appointed to positions with as little as two years of experience, while others had 18.

Documents show some employees were put in positions over others who were working in higher positions, “causing perception of favoritism and perhaps discrimination.”

Investigators said, “There is fear among employees, whether real or perceived, that they will be retaliated against for reporting allegations of misconduct.”

Employees specifically said they believed plant director Jonathan Janis would retaliate against them, stating he once became "physically threatening and angrily threw washers and hard hats at employees and across the Plant, even splitting a hard hat in half because he threw it so hard."

Janis was demoted, Bullock said, but documents show Janis’s salary is still the same.

“The salary will be held frozen so there is no merit increase for him, based on work plan, so again, he's going through a variety of different coaching,” said Bullock.

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