Former chief deputy files lawsuit against Gibson County
[gtxvideo vid=”W6SfktIX” playlist=”” pid=”OTSe9U1y” thumb=”http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/W6SfktIX.jpg” vtitle=”Maitland Sues Gibson Co PKG”]
GIBSON COUNTY, Tenn. — A lawsuit has been filed against Gibson County by an employee who worked for the sheriff’s office for 14 years. Former Chief Deputy Jeffrey Maitland stated in the federal suit he wants $200,000 for time he says he worked and never got paid. “I think he should have collected that as he went. I don’t think he should build up any overtime like that. I think you should keep up with it as you go,” Gibson County resident Joe Dabbs said. In the papers filed by the former chief deputy, it said the county owes him for 978 hours of compensatory time, which he never received after he left the department in August 2014. Gibson County Attorney Floyd Flippen said the suit is in the hands of the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office, which said it could not confirm it’s handling the suit, however the office does have that power. “The comptroller’s office has broad authority to review government entities including the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office, but it’s really our policy not to comment further,” Comptroller spokesperson John Dunn said. WBBJ also reached out to Maitland for comment on the case, but no one came to the door at the residence. Whether the former officer worked those hours isn’t the question most residents are asking. They’re just wondering why he’s waited so long to file the suit. “Waiting a whole year to file a report against the sheriff’s department? I think he should have done it when he first got fired,” resident Stacie Willis explained. This isn’t the first time claims have been made from former employees about their pay. Last September, the former sheriff asked for $44,000 in back-pay for himself and three other employees, including Maitland. The sheriff’s request included vacation, holiday and comp time.
