Raleigh, N.C. — An administrative judge has ordered the state Division of Motor Vehicles to reinstate a supervisor who had been fired after leaking information to the media.

Kenneth Cassidy was assistant district supervisor in the DMV's License and Theft Bureau before he was fired on March 20 under the pretext that he had violated a directive from DMV officials by talking to another employee in his office.

The firing came after Cassidy provided information to The News & Observer newspaper in Raleigh about emissions specialists not having enough work and problematic hirings in the department. After being told by officials not to associate with anyone in his office, Cassidy was seen saying goodbye to a worker who had resigned, prompting them to fire him for unacceptable conduct.

Senior Administrative Law Judge Fred Morrison said in an order the that DMV directive was too broad to be enforceable, and he ordered the agency to give Cassidy his job back, with back pay, and to pay his legal fees.