Thomas J. Dawson
624 Orchard Drive
Madison, WI 53711
608-271-9004 (H)
mrtjd@sbcglobal.net (H)
April 24, 2017
Renee M. Marquardt
Assistant Human Resources Director
Wisconsin Department of Justice
117 West Main Street
P.O. Box 7857
Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7857

HAND DELIVERED

Re: Resignation and Termination of Employment by Thomas Dawson with Wisconsin
Department of Justice.
Dear Ms. Marquardt:
The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) has been asserting that I am still an employee
of the DOJ. I consistently have indicated to you and to the DOJ it has not occurred to me how I
could be considered to be an employee of the DOJ to whom the DOJ work rules apply. I continue
to assert that I am not, and have not been since January 20, 2017, an employee of DOJ.
January 20, 2017 was the last day of my employment of DOJ. All of his cases were given
to Environmental Unit Director David Ross with “exit memos” for each. On that day DOJ staff,
including Deputy Attorney General Paul Connell and Legal Services Division David Meany,
acknowledged my retirement, providing a plaque to me recognizing my distinguished career and
work at DOJ. I vacated my office, turned in my access card, DOJ identifications, DOJ computer
tablet, and now am required to obtain a visitor pass to enter DOJ premises. I have no internet
access to my work computer, work phone, or DOJ resources. Since January 20, 2017, I have
performed no employment duties or tasks for DOJ, and I do not earned or draw a salary for
performing any work as an employee of DOJ. Although Mr. Dawson am drawing upon sabbatical
leave earned during my tenure at DOJ, that leave pay is a function purely of Wisconsin statutes,
not of any ongoing employment duties or relationship with DOJ. I have been under the reasonable
(and I think correct) impression that I have not been an employee of DOJ since January 20, 2017.
Neverthesless, as DOJ erroneously considers me to be an employee of the DOJ, I, without
waiving my right to assert that I have not been an employee of the DOJ since January 20, 2017,
do hereby resign and terminate any and all employment relationship with the DOJ, effective
immediately upon delivery of this letter to DOJ.
Sincerely yours,

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Thomas J. Dawson

cc: Attorney Hal Harlowe
Attorney Dean Strang