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County strikes severance agreement with former chief medical examiner

County commissioners accept severance agreement
Adel Shaker.jpg
Posted at 9:06 PM, Jul 06, 2022
and last updated 2022-07-07 10:42:44-04

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Nueces County Commissioners voted Wednesday on a severance agreement with former Nueces County Chief Medical Examiner Adel Shaker.

The two-three vote, with Commissioners Joe A. Gonzalez and Robert Hernandez dissenting, came after commissioners met in an executive session. There was no public comment from any member of the court.

The agreement, exclusively obtained by 6 Investigates, was also signed by Shaker Wednesday and includes language releasing him from civil claims and the county's responsibility to him.

"The County fully releases Shaker from all civil claims it may have related to Shaker's actions and conduct committed within his official capacity in the course and scope of Shaker's employment at the Nueces County Medical Examiner," according to the document.

The county also agrees to provide legal representation to Shaker by the County Attorney's Office to "defend Shaker's interests in his official capacity as the former County Medical Examiner."

The agreement also outlines the sum of money that will be paid to Shaker. As we have previously reported, he was arrested in April.

According to the agreement, Shaker had accrued over 400 hours of unused sick leave and nearly 275 hours of unused vacation time at the time of his retirement from the county.

Under the county's policy, Shaker was paid 96 hours of vacation and 215.21 hours of sick time in his last paycheck, at a rate of $153.64.

Under the agreement approved by commissioners Wednesday, Shaker will receive the remaining balance of vacation time which totals $26,718.

Stipulations to receive this pay were split in the agreement, to receive the sick pay, Shaker agrees to release all claims against the county, with the exception of any claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act or ADEA. To receive the vacation pay, Shaker must revoke his ADEA claim within 10 days of signing the agreement.

Under the agreement, Shaker also agrees to perform contract pathology work for the county and finish outstanding autopsy reports.

He agrees to work 40 hours per week and the county will pre-pay him the remaining balance of his sick pay for the first 80 hours he works, which totals $33,071.

After that, Shaker will be paid at a rate of $225 per hour, up to 80 hours.

Under the agreement, the county has agreed to provide a neutral job reference limited to "Shaker's date of hire, date of separation, confirmation of position held, and that he retired from employment with the county."

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