Fort Pierce HR manager has history of domestic violence; resigned same position in Ocala

FORT PIERCE — The city's new human resources manager, Jared Sorensen, resigned from a similar position in Ocala less than three years ago after being arrested on battery and domestic violence charges. He later was adjudicated guilty as part of a no-contest plea deal, according to court documents and reporting from the Ocala StarBanner.

Sorensen did not responded to a request for comment for this article.

City relationship with LF Staffing, Sorensen

Sorensen, who is not listed on the city website or staff directory, began his work operating as the city's HR manager on March 11, according to city spokesperson Kaitlyn Ballard. He is not employed directly by the city, but rather by temporary staffing agency LF Staffing, she said.

"The duration of Mr. Sorensen's assignment at the city of Fort Pierce is currently undetermined," Ballard said in an email last month.

Ballard later added that the city "engages with several staffing agencies" to fill open positions.

Under the city's agreement with LF Staffing, obtained Thursday by TCPalm through a public records request, it pays the agency $80.16 per hour for its services. Of that, $55.28 per hour goes to Sorensen, according to the agreement.

HR director in Ocala for more than a decade, before arrest

Sorensen was director of human resources and risk management for the city of Ocala for more than a decade, starting in 2011. That position ended in November 2021, when he was arrested following a domestic incident, according to court documents.

According to police reports, a woman said Sorensen pushed her during an argument regarding her not having access to his work phone. She also said he hit her in the head with a hair dryer.

The argument was heard by a man in the residence, officers said. The man and Sorensen then had an altercation, resulting in the man restraining Sorensen. He told police Sorensen tried to punch him.

Sorensen told officers he did not remember hitting or fighting anyone. Officers reported smelling a strong odor of alcohol coming on Sorensen's breath.

Sorensen also had been suspended for five days without pay in 2019, relating to an off-duty incident that city officials felt was "determined to be conduct that is contrary to the best interests of the city," according to a letter from the city manager's office to Sorensen. Details were not provided.

According to that 2019 letter, any other violation of city policy "will result in additional disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment."

After resigning in Ocala, Sorensen founded Sorensen & Associates HR Consulting, according to his LinkedIn page.

In January 2022, Sorensen pleaded no contest to battery and domestic violence. He was sentenced to one year of probation and 40 hours of community service as part of the plea deal. County Judge Jim McCune adjudicated Sorensen guilty, according to court records.

City emails show some knowledge of Sorensen's past

Ballard did not directly address questions about city officials' knowledge of Sorensen's criminal past, instead focusing on his qualifications for the position in Fort Pierce.

City Manager Nick Mimms, through Ballard, declined to comment on the decision to hire Sorensen.

Sorensen "emerged as a top candidate" for the position due to his understanding of software and "his extensive experience in municipal human resources," Ballard said. Specifically, she emphasized that the city is implementing new software in the HR department, and Sorensen is familiar with that software.

"Since his arrival, Mr. Sorensen has proven to be a valuable asset to the city of Fort Pierce," Ballard said.

Sorensen might be hired directly by the city at some point, Ballard said.

"Opting to utilize Mr. Sorensen's skills through a staffing agency allowed the city to access his expertise without the immediate commitment of hiring him directly," Ballard said. "This approach streamlined the recruitment process and provided flexibility to evaluate his performance before making a permanent decision."

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City emails obtained by TCPalm shine further light on his hiring.

A meeting was held "regarding the HR director position" on Feb. 9, attended by Sorensen and Director of Administrative Services DeVoshay Johnson. The meeting, at City Hall, was scheduled to last about an hour.

Five days after the meeting, on Feb. 14, Johnson emailed Ocala attorney Patrick Gilligan, whom Sorensen had listed as a reference.

In the email, Johnson seemed to reference Sorensen's past.

"Mr. Sorensen has expressed interest in the human resources manager position at the city of Fort Pierce," Johnson wrote to Gilligan. "He has been candid and transparent about his professional and personal life, and has listed you as a reference to his character and professional human resources acumen."

Gilligan, in response, offered a positive reference.

"I am happy to provide a positive reference for Jared Sorenson. I worked closely with him when he was the HR/risk manager for the city of Ocala. He did an outstanding job," Gilligan said.

In response to a public-records request, Fort Pierce officials provided no email job offer to Sorenson. The agreement with LF Staffing, however, was dated March 5. By March 6, city employees had been directed to create an ID badge for Sorensen.

Austin L. Millerof the Ocala StarBanner contributed to this story.

Wicker Perlis is TCPalm's Watchdog Reporter for St. Lucie County. You can reach him at wicker.perlis@tcpalm.com and 504-331-0516.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: HR boss Jared Sorensen resigned from Ocala job less than three years ago