HOWARD COUNTY, MARYLAND ACCUSED OF RACIAL BIAS

[From the Archives of the Baltimore Business Journal, March 18, 1994: "Minority Business Liaison Officer Files Discrimination Complaint"]:

An African-American employee in Howard County's economic development office has filed a discrimination complaint against the county, alleging racial bias in a decision to abolish her position.

Deborah L. Jenkins began work as a minority business liaison officer for the county in August 1993, according to the complaint. She filed the documents with the state's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Baltimore March 10.

Jenkins' attorney, Charles Ware, said his client challenged a poor performance review and was told soon after that her job would be eliminated March 31.

Ware said county officials were not interested in pursuing minority business and therefore were not receptive to Jenkins.