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From: yinsay@aol.com
yinsay@aol.com To: Laysha.Ward.Community.Relations@target.com; volunteer@ccspm.org; JeanneS@casefoundation.org; MichaelS@CaseFoundation.org; KariD@CaseFoundation.org; KristinI@casefoundation.org; LouiseS@CaseFoundation.org
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:50 am
I am a former Title Guaranty employee. I worked where records were stored, in the basement of what was the Costco location that is now occupied by Target.
We were housed in the basement with an air-conditioner as the only ventilation. I noticed mold growing in a hole, in the wall beneath the air-conditioner, adjacent to the room where I sometimes, but mostly my co-workers would eat lunch. I asked them about it and was told that management was made aware of it and did nothing. I decided to inform management myself, considering the untruths I had previously heard from some. I was thanked by the assistant to the woman in accounting who handled the repairs for the building.
I did not think it was a major undertaking by a very successful company to fix this problem, and was surprised at the length of time it was taking to address the situation, so I informed OSHA, Aug. 2003. This is when things started to go further south. Strangely, the day after going to the OSHA offices, the next day at work, my supervisor stated to a co-worker, " Vernon went to OSHA." This information was not given to her or any co-worker, by me.
When I went to Hawaii OSHA, the employee did not give me any type of reference number, or write one in the space provided on the complaint form, nor did she inform me at that time that mold is not OSHA'S jurisdiction, which is what I was told when I went to check on the status of the complaint.
Neither, did the employee inform me of laws governing discrimination. I was also told - it not being OSHA'S jurisdiction - the complaint was referred to the Department of Health. It was like pulling teeth to get an answer as to what office at the DOH it was referred to. Needless to say I could not inquire about the possible disposition of the complaint, not knowing where to inquire.
There was a flood upstairs after Costco vacated the ground level space. When I went around the rear of the building to go to the Tesoro station, I saw torrents gushing from the trucking bays. This water was obviously under pressure. It could not be due to an eccess of rain, which was the explanation I heard from the supervisor.
I saw no fire department personnel before I left and was told none were notified. We continued working after a cursory "mop up".
Vernon Balmer Jr.
General Delivery
Honolulu, Hawaii 96820
