Zach Thompson, Dallas County Health Director, Fired Amid Sexual Harassment Allegation

Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) Director Zach Thompson, who was scheduled to retire at the end of January, was fired from his position Wednesday after allegations of sexual harassment surfaced against him. A statement released by Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins on Thursday confirming that Thompson was terminated from his position.

A tweet by the DCHHS also said that Thompson was no more associated with Dallas County since Dec. 29, 2017.

Thompson was forced to leave the post after a woman accused him of sexually harassing her, reported the NBC News.

According to a report in the ABC-affiliated television station WFAA, the woman’s attorney, James Hunnicutt, explained that the county was notified about the allegations made by his client. Hunnicutt told the news channel that there were more than one instances of sexual harassment with Thompson, which included both verbal and physical allegations.

Hunnicutt said, “My client has alleged that the county did not respond adequately or in a timely manner to protect her.”

Born as Zachary Thompson, he earned an associate degree from El Centro College after which he took admission in the University of Texas, Arlington (UTA). Thompson graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social work from UTA. Later, he obtained a master’s degree from Amber University.

He was hired by the DCHHS as an HIV program manager in 1996. Later in the same year, he was promoted to the deputy director of the department. In 2004, he was again promoted and became the director of the department.

Prior to his association with the DCHHS, Thompson worked at the West Dallas Community Center for 13 years. He also served as an instructor at Eastfield College. Thompson also worked with the Texas Department of Health’s Council of Minority Health Affairs. He was a member of the Tuberculosis Funding Formula Development Committee. In 2006, he served as a speaker at the Texas Association of Counties Annual Conference, according to his profile on the Dallas County Community College District.

The DCCHS was recognized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for its work in providing Section 8 homeownership opportunities for low-income families under Thompson’s guidance. In 2005, the department under his guidance also held the largest Strategic National Stockpile in the U.S. Thompson gained fame after he helped to calm people when an Ebola virus outbreak disturbed the whole of North Texas in 2014. Earlier in 2012, he carried out a public awareness campaign to fight the West Nile virus outbreak.

According to a report in the Fox News, after Thompson learned about being fired from his position through media reports, he contacted Anthony Lyons, the Dallas attorney. Lyons said Thompson was on leave for quite some time and wanted to be on leave till the end of January when he had planned to retire.

Ganesh Shivaramaiyer, who served as assistant director of finance, budget and contracts at the department since 1991, will replace Thompson and will be the interim director of the department.