A City of Hialeah employee claims she was forced to retire because of her supervisor's abusive behavior. In a June 26 resignation email to Mayor Carlos Hernandez, Edith Galloza alleges her boss Carlos Lopez intimidated her and created a hostile work environment. The day she sent the email, Galloza claims Lopez shouted "shut the fuck up" twice during a brief meeting they both had with Human Resources Director Melissa Negron to discuss why Galloza was retiring.
"He has done nothing but bully me and verbally abuse me," Galloza alleged in her email. "I was forced to endure an environment of hostility and humiliation."
Galloza and Lopez could not be reached for comment. Riptide obtained a copy of her email from Hialeah Boletin, an Facebook page dedicated to reporting corrupt and unethical behavior in the City of Progress. According to her email, Galloza came back from her lunch break on June 26 when Lopez demanded she come into his office where he proceeded to yell at her. "I heard from everyone in the building that you are leaving!" Lopez allegedly screamed. "What are you going to do?!? Transfer, retire or quit?!?"
She said she was leaving and placed her office key and city-issued cell phone on her desk. Lopez followed her into the elevator and went up with her to the 3rd floor, where Negron's office is located, Galloza alleges in her email. When she tried to explain to Negron that she was retiring because Lopez verbally abused her, Galloza accuses her boss of shoving his index finger in her face. "Shut the fuck up!" Lopez allegedly yelled.
Galloza looked at Negron. "You see?" Galloza said. "I want to retire." Lopez again allegeldy told her to "shut the fuck up!" According to the email, Negron had to accompany Galloza to pick up her retirement papers and had to instruct Lopez to leave his office so his subordinate could gather her belongings and leave city hall.
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