Marie Theodat, the recently terminated human resources director of the Boston Water and Sewer Commission, has received a payout exceeding $45,000 upon her dismissal from the quasi-public agency.
This payment accounts for her unused vacation and personal time and is mandated under the Massachusetts Wage Act, according to Commission spokesperson Dolores Randolph.
Randolph clarified in a response to a Herald public records request, “As required by the Massachusetts Wage Act, Ms. Theodat received a payment of $45,093.59 for all accrued and unused vacation and personal time at the conclusion of her employment with the Commission. This payment is not a ‘buyout’ because the payment was required by law.”
Theodat’s annual salary was set at $202,873 while she worked with the Commission.
She was terminated on April 18, following a period of paid administrative leave that began on December 2 of the previous year.
During her leave, it is assumed she accrued additional paid time off.
Theodat, who is currently facing multiple civil lawsuits including serious fraud allegations, had also been the focal point of three internal investigations initiated by the Commission.
Details surrounding her termination remain unclear, as the Commission has not disclosed specific reasons for her firing.
In prior records responses, the Commission confirmed that there was no severance agreement related to Theodat’s termination.
Just last September, Theodat received a promotion from human resources director to chief human resource officer, alongside a significant raise, marking a 61% increase in her salary since 2019.
This promotion occurred in the wake of the Suffolk Superior Court lawsuit that implicated her in a scheme to defraud her elderly uncle, who was suffering from dementia, out of his $1.1 million Dorchester home.
The lawsuit alleges that she fraudulently persuaded her uncle, Rodolphe St. Cloud, to sign over the deed to his home, misleading him under the pretense of signing medical care documents.
Additionally, another lawsuit had been proceeding in Superior Court, which accused Theodat of defaulting on a $75,000 mortgage loan.
A jury ultimately ruled last fall in favor of the plaintiff, awarding her $72,000 following a trial that lasted nearly a week.
As these allegations surfaced, three unions representing employees of the Water and Sewer Commission exerted pressure on the agency to investigate Theodat’s conduct and consider her suspension during the ongoing legal proceedings.
The unions—SEIU Local 888, IAM Local 100, and OPEIU Local 6—expressed concerns regarding Theodat’s access to sensitive information such as banking and social security details.
In an effort to address their concerns, the Commission released public records to the Herald prior to Theodat’s termination, revealing that it had commissioned three separate investigations into her conduct.
The records showed that the Commission had incurred nearly $30,000 in expenses for two investigations carried out by different law firms during August and December 2024, while costs associated with an internal investigation by the Commission remained undisclosed.
These investigations were focused on allegations of misconduct concerning Theodat, highlighting the serious implications of her legal troubles on her professional standing.
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