Brent Earnest | Facebook
Brent Earnest | Facebook
Two state employees have accused their agency of retaliation after they testified about alleged falsification of application in federal court in Las Cruces.
New Mexico Human Services Department employees Margaret Vasquez-Padilla and Angela Dominguez have both received letters of reprimand. The New Mexico Report said HSD Secretary Brent Earnest described the actions as justified and both were related to their individual job performances.
The two women testified in federal court in an ongoing lawsuit. The New Mexico Report said Vasquez-Padilla testified her superiors added fake assets to a SNAP application she processed. She also accused them of falsifying her case notes. Earnest testified she was reprimanded for not processing cases within seven days.
Dominguez testified about the practice of adding fake assets, which she was allegedly encouraged to do by her supervisor to clear a backlog, The New Mexico Report said.
The plaintiff’s attorney and Center on Law and Poverty are asking for an independent monitor to oversee HSD’s processing and bring it into compliance. HSD is asking for an alternative special master who would work to bring the department into compliance and answer to Earnest.
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