Fired No. 2 DMV leader settles lawsuit with former boss

Raleigh, N.C. — A former top North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles official says he feels vindicated after settling a lawsuit with the state.

Wayne Hurder, a 15-year employee who served as the division's deputy commissioner, was fired because he allegedly interfered with the hiring process.

"I knew immediately that I was going to fight it,” Hurder said.

Hurder said he believes he was let go because he filed a formal complaint with Department of Transportation in September against his manager, DMV Commissioner Bill Gore. The complaint accused Gore of seeking to get jobs for family members.

In November, Hurder was fired from the department. A letter from the DMV accused him of overlooking high ranking candidates for those with less experience and qualifications.

"How can you interfere with the decision making when you are not the final decision maker," said Jackson Nichols, Hurder's attorney.

Hurder also said he thinks his termination was a result of his refusal to give a contribution to Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue's gubernatorial campaign.

Hurder filed a lawsuit against his former boss and the DOT, which oversees the DMV. The state settled the case last week and agreed to pay Hurder $50,000.

"I did not do the things that I was accused of, and I ran a good clean operation in North Carolina," Hurder said.

A DMV spokesperson said they decided to settle the case so that they could focus on moving forward with new leadership.

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Latest Comments

"Am sure Mr Hurder made some contributions to the DMV corruption and that's why he settled for so little. Piny tek"

Most likely true that Hurder isn't pure.

nufsaid
May 19, 2009 5:18 p.m.

Takes two to tango! Am sure Mr Hurder made some contributions to the DMV corruption and that's why he settled for so little.

Piny tek
May 19, 2009 4:05 p.m.

A good man is without his job and the office who fired him says "they want to move on". He needs his job back in my view. Guy---------------------I don't think that I would want to go back to a job like that... would stab you in the back just like that... no way would I accept the offer to go back if it was offered

boomylar
May 19, 2009 3:41 p.m.

"this happened to me years ago when i was working for the state...i had been working in a position as a temp for about 6 months...when the job was posted as a perm position, i just knew i would get it...yeah, i was young and naive...i did not get the job...it was given to a girl whose father just happened to be the head security guy to gov hunt...and then they had the nerve to ask me to train her!...i told them that if i wasn't good enough for the job, then i sure as heck wasn't good enough to train someone for it!"

Great story and the same thing happened to me 2 years ago. The one exception was the person hired didn't do anything and still doesn't. The buddy system amazes me! With the economy going to the dumps she will be soon laid off with no experience of ever doing anything.

OrdinaryCitizen
May 19, 2009 2:37 p.m.

The sad thing is this, anything associated w/NCDOT is a joke & all you hear is negitive about the organization. You have incompetent mgrs. who are given positions simply by being a part of the buddy system or the good ol boy network. There are employees who are kicked to the curb w/no questions asked & no answers given. I think the employees should choose the board members & just maybe the game of tag will end. This man rec'd very little $ for all that he went thru but many times the attys just settle which makes you wonder who are they REALLY representing. It's unfortuate that this man of age has no job, a little award $ that will be even less w/taxes taken and the economy being as bad as it gets. What happen to good, honest, decent working class folk?

Thifty at Fifty
May 19, 2009 1:57 p.m.