Rocky Mount NC – Nash Edgecombe Economic Development, Inc. a “Non-Profit Agency that faces additional lawsuits due to unlawful practices by the Executive Director”

NEED Inc. is a non-profit organization who is chartered to do business in Nash, Edgecombe and Wilson Counties receives over 12 million dollars in Federal Grants to be used in those three counties to serve low income families. The agency’s principal office is located at 200 North Church Street in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.  Under the leadership of the Executive Director, the agency has lost tens of thousands of dollars due to the Executive Directors inability to make ethical business and financial decisions. The Board of Directors has continuously been supportive of the Executive Director which has led to a complete federal investigation from multiple funding sources and now the entire agency is at risk of losing their funding for all programs. 

A second lawsuit has been filed to address and correct a pattern of practice of age and gender discrimination and harassment that has existed at Nash Edgecombe Economic Development, Inc. (NEED) since the Board of Directors appointed the Executive Director in 2017.  The plaintiffs allege that not only  one or more of them have been subjected to age and gender discrimination, but also they have been subjected to retaliation up to and including actual or constructive discharge, for their attempts to raise legitimate concerns and issues about discrimination and harassment and to attempt to enforce their right to equal employment opportunities. The discrimination and retaliation to which the plaintiffs have been subjected to constitutes a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the North Carolina Equal Employment Practices Act.

Despite multiple complaints from the community and employees of Nash Edgecombe Economic Development, (NEED Inc). the Board of Directors has repeatedly failed to address the systemic controversies that the agency face in its day to day operations under the current leadership of its Executive Director.  The agency has been without many of its key positions for the past year due to the refusal of the Executive Director to fill attrition or replace staff positions when needed to make the agency run productively. 

The Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) department has been cited for misuse and misappropriation of money, which the Executive Director signs off on each transaction. They have had staff to be terminated by the Executive Director and other staff pay was taken away from them due to no fought of their own without a definitive answer. In addition, the Head Start program has been cited for many deficiencies that impact the health and safety of young children. Four of the eight Head start Centers have faced Administrative Actions from the state (DCDEE) due to lack of staff in the past year. They have also failed to maintain efficiency by not being fully staffed or fully enrolled since August of 2019. Parents were notified by the Board of Directors Chairman, two days before the opening of school by letter that the school will not open as scheduled and would be delayed in August of this year. This was also a repeat of 2019 school opening as well. Parents are repeatedly being disrespected and disregarded when they attempt to address the Executive Director.  

On September 21, 2020, the District Court ruled on two pending lawsuits that involved the unlawful dismissal of two former employees who were wrongfully terminated/and or suspended by NEED Inc. The suits were validated by EEOC and the two individuals were granted “The Right to Sue”. NEED Inc. was served notice that these two individuals would be allowed to move forward and seek relief for “Wrongful Termination, Age Discrimination, Gender Discrimination, Slander and Liable.  On Friday, September 25, 2020, another lawsuit was filed because of the Executive Director’s continual harassment to her employees. Again, these individuals were granted the right to sue by EEOC with charges of “Wrongful Termination, Gender Discrimination, Age Discrimination and Retaliation”.  It is evident that since 2017 when the Board of Directors appointed its Executive Director, the agency has suffered the maltreatment of its children, the loss of its funding, wrongful termination of employees, and its employees being forced to operate in a hostile work environment created by the Executive Director.

As a result, the community is forced to endure the negative impact of NEED Inc. actions. The Board of Directors shows no interest in addressing the negative acts of its one employee (Executive Director). Instead the Executive Director has been allowed to illegally operate as she sees fit by reconstructing the Board of Directors’ composition to meet the needs of her own agenda. According to the personal policy, all Head Start employees hires and fires are to be approved by the Policy Council. The Executive Director did not get approval from the Policy Council to terminate these employees, yet the Board went along with her decision to terminate them. Although the Policy Council (which consist of Head Start parents and community representatives) were outraged, the personnel policies were not honored nor respected by the Executive Director or the Board of Directors. The other terminations from the CSBG program violates the age and discrimination and gender discrimination which were upheld by the Board of Directors.

The members of the communities in Edgecombe, Nash, and Wilson Counties are calling for a resolution to include but not be limited to the lawful removal of the Executive Director of NEED Inc. NEED, Inc., holds it board meetings on the 4^th Thursdays of the month at 3pm which does not give the community a good time to come and address issues or see how the agency is operating. Your voice is needed and should be heard.

Article Submitted To The DCN