Nevada Official Alleges Retaliation Over Confidential Records Dispute

LAS VEGAS — Kara Jenkins, the former administrator of the Nevada Equal Rights Commission (NERC), has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the state, alleging she was fired in retaliation for refusing to release confidential case information.

In the complaint filed last week in Clark County District Court, Jenkins claims that top officials in the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) and the Governor’s Office pressured her to hand over case numbers and other sensitive details from discrimination complaints. When she refused, Jenkins says she was denied support, restricted from hiring staff, and ultimately fired in December 2024.

Named in the suit are DETR Director Chris Sewell and Ryan Cherry, chief of staff to Governor Joe Lombardo. Jenkins is seeking a jury trial and damages for emotional distress, reputational harm, and loss of employment.

Dispute Over Confidential Information

Jenkins, who had led NERC since 2013 under a gubernatorial appointment, argues that her termination violated federal workplace protections under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The law prohibits retaliation against employees who safeguard civil rights, including the confidentiality of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) investigations.

According to the lawsuit, the dispute began in 2022 when DETR’s Chief Auditor Duane Anderson requested unredacted case details from Jenkins. She refused, citing Nevada law and an agreement between NERC and the EEOC that restricts disclosure of such information. A letter from the EEOC’s acting district director supported Jenkins’ interpretation, but Anderson allegedly challenged it.

Alleged Retaliation and Termination

The lawsuit alleges that retaliation followed soon after. Then–DETR Deputy Director Sewell is accused of blocking Jenkins’ hiring requests, denying her office support, and making false claims about her job performance. The pressure escalated after Sewell became department director in 2023.

By late 2024, Jenkins says senior state officials acted together to discredit her, including helping file a false complaint that accused her of improper government conduct and creating a hostile work environment. As she was preparing reports requested by Cherry, Jenkins was placed on administrative leave and later fired. She declined a severance offer that required her to waive any legal claims.

“The chronology of events and direct references to Plaintiff’s refusal to breach statutory and contractual confidentiality requirements show her protected conduct was the direct and proximate motivating cause of the discharge,” the complaint states.

Political Campaign, Ethics Issues Also Cited

Jenkins also ran for Las Vegas mayor in 2023. Her campaign sparked an ethics complaint, which the lawsuit alleges was filed by DETR staff and referenced her refusal to release confidential material. The Nevada Commission on Ethics later cleared her of improper action, though it noted she had used sick leave for campaign activity and required her to undergo ethics training.

No Comment from State Officials

Representatives for DETR and Governor Lombardo’s office declined to comment on the ongoing case. Jenkins’ attorneys also did not provide a statement.

NERC, which operates under DETR, is responsible for investigating claims of discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations in partnership with the EEOC.