CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi City Council members voted to allot another $68,740 on Tuesday to continue to fight a lawsuit filed by former Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District Director Annette Rodriguez against the city and several public officials.
The city of Corpus Christi won a summary judgement in the initial lawsuit Rodriguez filed in 2021, which claimed violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, Equal Pay Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, alleging interactions she had with city manager Peter Zanoni violated these laws.
Also named in the suit were Zanoni, asst. city manager Steven Viera and city Human Resources director Eyvon McHaney.
Rodriguez is appealing the court's decision to not take the lawsuit to trial.
The complaint came to light after questions about Rodriguez's overtime pay during the height COVID-19 pandemic surfaced, and after the city of Corpus Christi announced its intention to form its own health department in 2021.
That decision was ultimately rescinded, but all employees, including Rodriguez, were required to re-apply for their jobs when the public health district was restructured and the city of Corpus Christi was named its managing partner.
Fauzia Khan was hired as the district's new public health director in late 2022.
In a letter to Zanoni dated Oct. 7, 2021, Rodriguez's attorneys said she "has experienced discrimination based on her sex and a hostile work environment." They also said that "Zanoni has a record of discrimination based on age."
Rodriguez, who was in her late 50s at the time, said in the suit she had hearing loss that was used against her.
Council approved more than $160,000 in January to defend itself, and had spent $50,000 before that.
