Polk County Clerk Sues State, Alleging Age Bias and Retaliation

Promotion Dispute

DES MOINES, Iowa — Polk County Clerk of Courts Anne Sheeley has filed a lawsuit against the state of Iowa, claiming she was denied a key promotion because of her age and later punished for reporting discrimination.

Sheeley, who has served as clerk of courts since 2017, oversees more than 80 employees and manages operations in Iowa’s largest county. She has worked in court administration and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office for more than two decades.

According to the complaint, the Iowa Judicial Branch posted an opening in 2024 for the Fifth Judicial District court administrator position. Sheeley, who previously worked as deputy administrator, applied. She says that during her interview she was asked why she wanted to change jobs “at this point in her career.” The filing notes she was born in 1968, placing her in her mid-50s at the time.

Sheeley says she later learned from Chief Judge Michael Hubbert that she gave an “outstanding” interview and impressed the hiring committee. Still, she was not selected. Instead, the state chose a younger candidate whom Sheeley describes in the complaint as far less qualified. She alleges the person hired had fewer than five years of experience in court administration, less than one year in management, and supervised only one employee. She also claims the new administrator did not hold a bachelor’s degree, while she has a master’s in public administration.

Retaliation Allegations

In May 2025, Sheeley filed an age discrimination complaint with the Iowa Judicial Branch. A month later, she says she was told that employee compensation changes were coming as part of a statewide classification review.

Sheeley says she asked whether she could prepare her staff “for bad news,” and she claims the district administrator did not tell her she could not. According to the complaint, Sheeley shared the information with some employees on July 2, 2025, shortly before the changes were announced publicly.

When she returned to the office on July 7, she was placed on administrative leave. That leave lasted into September. She was later suspended for three days without pay for discussing the compensation changes with staff.

In the complaint, Sheeley denies any wrongdoing. She says she acted because “she was attempting to keep morale up in the clerk’s office.” She contends the discipline was retaliation for her earlier complaint of age discrimination.

Case Status

The lawsuit was filed Jan. 13 in Polk County District Court. The state has not yet filed a response, and representatives of the Iowa Judicial Branch and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office declined to comment.