The city of Shreveport, Louisiana is facing a whistleblower lawsuit. Former City of Shreveport Controller Ben Hebert filed an action against the city for wrongful termination, claiming it happened because he refused to violate state and city laws.
Case background
Ben Hebert was a City of Shreveport Controller in 2021. He claims that he was wrongfully fired from that position because he “refused to participate in ‘financial improprieties he believed violated the laws of the State of Louisiana and governing policies of the City of Shreveport.’”
In the petition, Hebert claims that he “objected to the failure of the City of Shreveport to pay certain employee payroll taxes for pension and retirement funds due to the State of Louisiana and to the Internal Revenue Service.” When he made his position known, Hebert says he was told to “stop spending so much time playing with the IRS,” as there were other “more important” things that he should be working on.
Hebert also objected to certain travel expenses for Mayor Adrian Perkins in 2021. He refused to approve these expenses, which he claims were not legal under Louisiana and Shreveport. As a result, he says, Hebert was fired. Furthermore, a Shreveport City Councilman requested that the Legislative Auditor look into the mayor’s expenses. It revealed that there were “improprieties” in the city’s travel expenses—including forms where the mayor signed and approved his own expenses, without oversight.
Whistleblowers can ensure that employer wrongdoing is brought to light—and they have protections under both state and federal law. If your employer has wrongfully fired you in retaliation, consider filing a whistleblower suit. A seasoned whistleblower attorney at Kardell Law Group can assist when you call today.
