The City of Tampa has quietly cut a $350,000 check to settle a federal discrimination lawsuit brought by a former Mobility Department aide, sidestepping a public trial over allegations of retaliation and favoritism inside City Hall.
The settlement, tucked onto a February City Council agenda, formally ends the case before it could reach a jury.
What the lawsuit alleged
Scarlett Lopez, a senior executive aide in the city’s Infrastructure & Mobility office, says her problems started after she took medical leave. She alleges she was reassigned when she returned and later hit with a negative performance review following a miscarriage. Lopez filed a discrimination complaint with the city on April 19, 2022, was terminated when her temporary position ended in August 2022, and went on to sue the city in November 2023, according to Creative Loafing Tampa.
A federal case summary by Leagle shows that Lopez’s lawsuit claimed violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act and Florida law.
How the city approved the settlement
City Council records describe a quiet but careful process behind the payout. Members first met in a closed attorney-client session to discuss the Lopez case, then came back in open session and voted to add “a resolution offering a compromise settlement” to the Feb. 19, 2026 agenda. The motion carried with one dissenting vote, according to the Tampa City Council transcript…