By: Linda Ellis

Linda Ellis — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 02:22:41 +0000

I worked for the SOS for 16 years as an inspector for the cosmetology, barber boards. Never had problems until Karen Handel and Shawn Lagrua came about. I retired on 10-30-2009 because I could not take it anymore, I have never worked under conditions like this in my 16 years. Shawn combined the cosmetology,barber inspectors with the 2 funeral inspectors ( who are licensed embalmers)the used car inspectors,etc. When I was hired along with the other cosmetology, barber inspectors, you had to have at least 5 years of experience as either one or the other to do our job. Make’s sense doesn’t it? Funeral home inspectors were licensed, then she decided to mix all of us up and try and train each person to do each other’s inspections. This should have never been allowed as you shouldn’t be doing inspections out of your field. These people don’t really know anything about each other’s job, they are just guessing. I do not consider a cosmetologist authorized to inspect a funeral home. What a big mess she has made of the PLB. There have been about 25 or more been fired, retired or quit since she took over, I would think this would tell you something. She also had tracking devices put on all vehicle’s, which by the way messed up some of the car’s. They did not even have approval from DOAS until it was all said and done. Shaw even fired about 3 supervisor’s while I was there just to get rid of them, anything she could use she did it. Some us had to travel about 3 hours every Monday to go to Macon to the office to carry our reports and had to stay until 5:30. Had to be there by 9:00 a.m. and she said our traveling time was not state time. We were in state vehicles so who’s time were we own? We put in about 14 hours every Monday. There is so much more but I cannot put it all in this comment. I do hope you will change things as they are real deep.

Comments on: Memo To SOS Brian Kemp

By: Linda Ellis