The city of Cleveland is being sued by a former Hopkins International Airport employee who federal officials believe was demoted for whistle-blowing.
Abdul-Malik Ali filed the suit earlier this week in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court calling for unspecified damages and his old job back as a field maintenance supervisor. The suit also names some current and former airport officials.
In a recent preliminary finding, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration says Ali’s demotion appears to be retaliation for alerting the FAA in 2015 to runway snow removal problems. The FAA agreed that there were problems and fined Hopkins $735,000. Cleveland officials say Ali was demoted because of a history of complaints about his work as a manager.
Cleveland officials will not comment on Ali’s suit because it is pending litigation.
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