Former Rockdale County Deputy Public Affairs Director Holly LaFontaine recently filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regarding her employment with the county.

LaFontaine was let go after the Board of Commissioners voted on June 29 in a 2-1 decision to eliminate her position and another position in the Public Affairs department.

LaFontaine, who is white, was one of the top three finalists for the Public Affairs Director position along with Lisa King and current Public Affairs Director Erica Fatima, who is black. LaFontaine had worked with the county for about 15 years, including acting director of the department from July of last year until May. Fatima had been the deputy press secretary at the Georgia Department of Transportation and had worked in administrative assistant type positions in the Rockdale County Public School System before that. King had worked in the Atlanta Press Office for Mayor Shirley Franklin.

The county was in the process of eliminating more than 30 positions, about 11 of which were filled, as part of budget cutting measures. LaFontaine’s position and the position of Public Affairs department

The attorney representing LaFontaine, Joshua Capilouto with the law firm of Parks, Chesin and Walbert, declined to comment on the charges while the EEOC’s investigation was still pending, which could take months.

Typically, the EEOC investigator will ask both parties to produce evidence and fill out a questionnaire and may ask both parties to mediate, explained Capilouto.

After the investigation is completed, regardless of the EEOC’s findings, charges can then be filed in federal court.

Capilouto said he had not talked with the county’s attorney as of Friday. He declined to specify the type of charge that had been filed.

EEOC charges usually involve discrimination based on age, race, gender and retaliation.

An amended charge was filed in mid-July, "in furtherance of her first charge."