Last week saw the release of a “final report” from management consultants MGT of America into claims of gender discrimination and other equal employment opportunity violations in the offices of the Austin Water Utility. MGT’s investigation of the allegations – levied by seven complainants at assistant director Gopal Guthikonda and others – absolves Guthikonda, who has been on paid administrative leave since late 2009. “When asked the basis of their claims, many of them often recited boilerplate language as if someone had told them that if all of them stated the same thing that it would lend creditability to their claims,” reads the report introduction; “often they would state things as fact for which it turned out they had no direct proof or knowledge.” The conclusion reached on each of the seven claims – from allegations of favoritism and sex discrimination to retaliation via moving employees into new offices and cubicles – are that the complaints “are either unfounded and/or do not rise to the level of violation of the personnel policy.” Guthikonda is expected to return to work next week.

Ironically, the report found, one party complaining of gender discrimination, in part due to extra duties she was assigned assisting a recently promoted co-worker, “resented working with or for [name redacted] based on [the employee’s] national origin; Indian.” Regarding another employee complaining of a hostile work environment, the report found, “other witnesses stated that it is [the complainant] who behaves inappropriately and fosters the uncomfortable work environment.” And a third complainant, alleging discrimination in her lack of promotions, was actually promoted by Guthikonda to supervising engineer; however, following complaints about the process, Austin Water Utility Director Greg Mes­zaros ordered the search for that position redone.

The report, signed by MGT senior associate and former Travis County Sheriff Margo Frasier, was paid for in part with a $30,000 City Council-approved amendment to an existing contract with MGT, bringing the company’s total payment to $70,000.

This article appears in The End of UT Football.

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