WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The former CEO of CareerSource Palm Beach County is firing back at the agency, claiming he was forced out of his job.
Robert "Steve" Craig filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Palm Beach County against his former employer, claiming he "suffered a loss of $1.8 million in lost wages" and benefits, as his contract was through December 2025.
Craig stepped down as CEO last February, after facing allegations an improper relationship with a subordinate. The lawsuit contends he was retaliated against after reporting concerns he had of another employee's alleged "improper and criminal" activity.
In the filing, Craig claims the retaliation included "allegations of sexual impropriety with a subordinate," and he was "discriminated against because of the perception that he suffered from the disability of alcoholism."
In a statement, Craig's attorney, Christopher Cook, told WPTV his client "believes he was constructively terminated for unlawful reasons and incurred damages in the form of pain, suffering and damages and now seeks recompense."
Jeffrey Pheterson, the attorney representing CareerSource Palm Beach County, pushed back against the allegations. In an email, Pheterson told WPTV that Craig "voluntarily chose to resign his employment earlier this year, when he was offered the opportunity to resign at a time of significant turmoil for the agency he ran, when he was involved actively in that turmoil."
"CareerSource Palm Beach County strenuously denies that it terminated Steve Craig, discriminated against him or violated his rights in any way," Pheterson wrote to WPTV.
No hearing date on the lawsuit has been scheduled.
READ THE LAWSUIT HERE: