HBS Employee Denies Being Forced to Resign

BURLINGTON, Mass--A former Harvard Business School Administrator yesterday rebuffed suggestion that he was forced out of his job in January and disputed his former boss's account of his work performance.

Interviewed at his home here, Paul M. Halloran, the school's former assistant manager of operational support services, said he was not fired but instead resigned to "pursue my own personal career" in late January. Halloran, who is now unemployed and has a newly adopted son, declined to elaborate on his decision to leave.

Raymond P. Gomes, the former director of operations and Halloran's boss, said earlier this month that he had written letters of reprimand about Halloran which led to the employee's firing by Chief of Administrative Operations John M. Strickland.

Gomes, who was dismissed a few days after Halloran left, said his own firing was "not really unrelated" to Halloran's. Halloran, however, said his resignation did not affect Gomes' firing.

"I hold the key to this situation," said Halloran, who spent more than three years at the school. "But I don't wish to discuss it at this time."

Gomes said he had issued Halloran numerous letters of reprimand over a two-year period, and that the employee was not fit for the job.

"Halloran mismanaged certain situations," Gomes said. "He made a lot of mistakes.

Halloran refused to comment on the alleged reprimands, but he said Gomes was wrong to discuss his employment history.

"I'm really surprised that someone in his capacity would talk about someone else's file," Halloran said. "My own personnel file is my file."

Business School sources said Strickland gave Halloran one week to resign "or else be micro-managed to the point of insanity."

But Halloran denied that account yesterday.

"That was a whole separate thing with John Strickland," Halloran said. "John treated me more than fairly."

Halloran said he had changed his phone number after receiving what he called "harassing" phone calls related to his resignation. His new phone number is unlisted.

Gomes, who lost his job on February 4, charged earlier this month that Strickland forced him to resign after a dispute over department "policy."

Sources suggested the dispute between Gomes and Strickland centered on the payment of three part-time employees who helped move faculty offices into newly renovated spaces in Baker Library. The sources, however, could not further specify the cause of the dispute.

Halloran refused to comment on this matter.

James W. Fields contributed to this report.

But Halloran denied that account yesterday.

"That was a whole separate thing with John Strickland," Halloran said. "John treated me more than fairly."

Halloran said he had changed his phone number after receiving what he called "harassing" phone calls related to his resignation. His new phone number is unlisted.

Gomes, who lost his job on February 4, charged earlier this month that Strickland forced him to resign after a dispute over department "policy."

Sources suggested the dispute between Gomes and Strickland centered on the payment of three part-time employees who helped move faculty offices into newly renovated spaces in Baker Library. The sources, however, could not further specify the cause of the dispute.

Halloran refused to comment on this matter.

James W. Fields contributed to this report.