Top Oregon official put on leave for allegedly prioritizing qualified job candidates over gender identity

A diversity, equity and inclusion expert had her former boss placed on administrative leave for reportedly prioritizing merit over personal identity when hiring new employees, according to a report.Megan Donecker, who formerly served as the Oregon Department of Forestry’s DEI strategy officer, complained about the agency’s management, criticizing her boss Mike Shaw for looking “beyond gender and identity in hiring, seeking only candidates most qualified for the job,” OregonLive reported.Shaw served as the agency’s second-in-command under State Forester Cal Mukumoto until he was placed on administrative leave on Aug.6 after Donecker filed a formal complaint against him, the Daily Mail reported.Donecker reportedly first took issue with Shaw when he advocated for a careful approach to DEI, comparing rapid changes to speeding on “an icy road.” She claimed that Shaw, using this metaphor, warned, “We don’t go 60 (mph) out of the gate, or we’re gonna crash the car.”She also reportedly claimed that six queer staffers didn’t “feel safe or comfortable” at work because they could not have “conversation around pronouns” and referred to the department as a “boys club,” the Daily Mail reported, citing the formal complaint obtained by OregonLive.While the Oregon Department of Forestry did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s inquiry, they have responded to recent criticism of their agency, insisting that leadership “takes employee complaints and concerns seriously and, when brought to our attention, we ensure they’re handled in accordance with state laws, rules, policies and HR best practices.

This includes protecting employees from retaliation.”State Forester Mukumoto added that “Providing a safe, diverse and inclusive workplace is a shared core value and priority of both the department and the Board of Forestry.”The pink-haired, tattooed Salem resident has left the department and now works as a DEI consultant, ac...