Ex-Pierce County court clerk gets $1M after complaints of toxic work environment
The Pierce County Council unanimously approved a settlement for $1 million to former Pierce County Superior Court Clerk Constance White on Tuesday in response to a claim White filed on March 31 alleging discrimination and retaliation against her as an African American woman.
According to the claim, which asked for a $5.5 million settlement, White alleged since 2022 she was discriminated against based on her status. White said her input was sought on issues like race but 'as to the merits of Clerk's Office standards, I was ignored and marginalized.'
White was appointed Pierce County Clerk in December 2021. County communications manager Kyle Schmidtke confirmed Wednesday that White is no longer employed with Pierce County and that Julie Murray has been serving as active interim clerk since Monday. Murray is executive counsel to Executive Ryan Mello.
The Pierce County Superior Court Clerk's office oversees the court's legal financial transactions, including civil, domestic, felony criminal, civil commitment, probate, guardianship, paternity and adoptions, according to the 2024-2025 budget. The Clerk of the Superior Court is also responsible for managing and processing administrative documents and serves as the court's record keeper. The office's 2024-2025 budget is about $17.8 million.
As previously reported by The News Tribune, in 2022 and 2023 more than five staff members spoke with Pierce County Human Resources alleging White created and fostered a hostile work environment that left many staff feeling isolated, anxious and intimidated. The office saw significant turnover from 2021-2023 and the loss of institutional knowledge was cited by state auditors as the reasons for a 'significant lack' of financial control and general oversight of the Pierce County Superior Court Clerk's Office. In 2024 The News Tribune also reported that in 2021 White found out that a private title company had used space in the Clerk's Office rent-free for more than 30 years. Title Support Services Inc. was removed in December 2023.
In her claim against Pierce County, White alleged, 'My leadership was undercut at every turn' and an HR director told her 'the reason staff was refusing to work under my direction was because I was Black.'
'I was not permitted to lead and staff were encouraged to undermine my authority and treat me with disrespect,' she said. 'I was threatened and not supported making the workplace unsafe.'
White noted she was injured and was currently seeking medical treatment as a result. Her attorney, Joan Mell, told The News Tribune Wednesday the situation was 'so disappointing' and said White uprooted herself to come to Pierce County from Texas for the job.
'Pierce County officials hold themselves out as so welcoming and enlightened, and it's very disarming to invest in that messaging and have so clearly demonstrated in your face that they are probably less enlightened than they think they are,' Mell said.
Schmidtke told The News Tribune in an email Tuesday that 'as with all personnel-related matters, the County does not discuss specific details to protect employee privacy.'
'From the beginning of this administration, we have prioritized making Pierce County a respectful, inclusive, and supportive place to work for everyone — from front-line staff to department directors,' Jaime Smith, Executive Ryan Mello's chief of staff, said in an email. 'Over the past several months, we worked closely with Constance White and her team to address several long-standing challenges within the Clerk's Office. I'm grateful we were able to make meaningful progress and reach a resolution that supports all parties. We thank Ms. White for her service and wish her well in her next chapter.'
Schmidtke said Wednesday that the county is 'prepared to launch an open, competitive recruitment for the permanent position' in early June. He declined to comment on White's allegations.
'We worked to resolve this matter constructively and in a manner that supports all involved,' he said. 'The settlement reflects a mutually agreed-upon resolution reached through negotiations between both parties. As with many such cases, the decision to settle was based on a variety of factors, including the potential costs, time, and impacts of extended litigation.'
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