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City of Haines City agrees to $550K settlement with former employee who filed whistleblower complaint

By
Published  June 19, 2025 7:28pm EDT
Haines City
FOX 13 News
Haines City reaches settlement with whistleblower

Haines City reaches settlement with whistleblower

Carla Bayron reports.

The Brief

    • Erica Anderson worked as a deputy city clerk in Haines City in 2017 and was promoted to city clerk in 2020.
    • The complaint alleges retaliation, discrimination and harassment by the city as well as by former Mayor Anne Huffman, who is now a city commissioner.
    • In a written statement, Huffman told FOX 13 she can't comment on pending litigation at this time.

HAINES CITY, Fla. - Haines City has agreed to pay more than half-a-million dollars to a former employee who filed a whistleblower complaint.

The complaint alleges retaliation, discrimination and harassment by the city as well as by former Mayor Anne Huffman, who is now a city commissioner.

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The backstory:

Erica Anderson worked as a deputy city clerk in Haines City in 2017 and was promoted to city clerk in 2020.

According to the federal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida in Tampa, then Mayor Huffman made numerous racially derogatory and discriminatory comments to her, including telling her she should stop wearing "Aunt Jemima Braids" and referred to her as "unbecoming" based on her appearance.

Anderson said Huffman told her "she did not act black enough" or talk black enough, which wouldn't be accepted by certain city neighborhoods.

In Spring 2022, Anderson claims Huffman targeted her for misusing city credit cards, which she was cleared by the city of any wrongdoing. Despite being cleared, she was mocked and taunted by Huffman in public meetings.

Anderson filed a whistleblower complaint with the city in May 2022 and claims Huffman retaliated against her immediately afterward and harassed her for reporting the alleged misconduct.

Anderson took FMLA leave because of a serious health condition she developed from the hostile work environment. While on FMLA, the city demoted Anderson and when she returned to work, she was suspended.

Ultimately, in October 2023, Anderson claims she was fired without cause for her whistleblower complaints, internal discrimination complaints, EEOC Charge, and FMLA leave.

In federal court Tuesday in Tampa, Anderson was awarded a $550,000 settlement by the City of Haines City.

Kelly Chanfrau, Anderson's attorney, told FOX 13: "Erica is an amazing person. This never should've happened. She was an incredible city clerk and she stood up for others so they don't have to endure this."

The other side:

In a written statement, Huffman told FOX 13 she can't comment on pending litigation at this time and referred us to the City Attorney.

A Haines City spokesperson said the litigation hasn't concluded, so they have no further comment at this time.

What's next:

The case will conclude once the city approves the settlement amount at a city commission meeting for which a date has not yet been set.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Carla Bayron. 

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