A former Lee County correctional officer has reached a $50,000 settlement with Lee County following her termination in 2024.
The Lee County Board of Supervisors approved the settlement during last Tuesday’s regular meeting after meeting in closed session for about 15 minutes to discuss the agreement.
Former correctional employee Deneen Hamner was fired on September 17, 2024, after 15 years with the county. County officials said she was terminated for misconduct following an investigation into several incidents during the summer of 2024.
According to records from an Iowa unemployment case, Hamner claimed she was bullied by a supervisor and used her body camera to record one of the incidents. The county says that recording violated its body camera policy. Investigations by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office found Hamner’s allegations to be unfounded. During the investigation, officials also reviewed the body camera incident and another case in which Hamner was accused of using a derogatory name toward a female inmate during the booking process.
Hamner was given the option to resign or be terminated but declined to resign and was fired. She later appealed the denial of unemployment benefits and was ultimately awarded regular unemployment compensation.
Hamner also filed a complaint with the Iowa Civil Rights Office seeking damages related to her termination. While Lee County denied the allegations in that complaint, both sides have now agreed to settle the case.
Under the agreement, Hamner will receive $33,180.75, while $16,819.25 will be paid to Duff Law Firm for attorney fees. Hamner is responsible for any taxes owed on the settlement.
In exchange, Hamner has agreed to withdraw her complaints with both the Iowa Civil Rights Office and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and release Lee County from any future claims related to the dispute.