Kim Kendall’s FAA career ended with medical disqualification

House candidate Kim Kendall has long said her work as an air traffic controller prepared her for elected office. But documents obtained by Florida Politics show she was forced from that job amid concerns for her mental health.

Kendall worked for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from January 1990 until November 2000, according to court documents. Records show that came to an end in 2000 when she was “medically disqualified” from continuing her work with the agency.

A communication within the agency shows Kendall received a copy of paperwork to that effect before May 24, 2000. While a specific reason for disqualification was not given in that email, other FAA documents show interview sessions between Kendall just a day prior with FAA employees Chris Kleine and Irving Washington.

According to notes from the conversation with Washington, she detailed distrust of her supervisors and a belief that individuals had called in bomb threats specifically targeting her and otherwise posed a violent threat.

Kim told Washington she reached out to the Accountability Board because of a “threat made against me.”

“I know it was legit and I can’t take it one more day,” she said, according to notes. “I am tired of this cover-up situation.”

She described dirty looks that she received at work. She filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint against supervisors, but said nothing was done. She specifically raised concerns about supervisors on the floor where she worked.

The most unusual concern she voiced involved an alleged bomb threat she heard about from co-workers. She said a friend informed her “there has been a cover up” over a threat that was called in.

Her husband, Kelly Kendall, also an FAA employee at one point, approached a supervisor and said he was concerned for his wife’s safety and that “there are some people out here that would cause her some harm.” The supervisor agreed.

“Everyone is really scared to stick their necks out,” Kim Kendall said, according to the notes. She believed a violent threat was called in because of her, but certain individuals with direct knowledge were withholding information. And she recounted a colleague who claimed to receive death threats if she did not drop a complaint against a supervisor.

Irving in the interview asked if Kendall would be satisfied if courts investigated the matter and found her concerns unwarranted. Kendall said they would not. Around the time of the interview, she received the medical disqualification from continuing to work at the FAA.

Kendall’s personnel file also includes a disciplinary action she faced for catching a free air flight with her husband rather than waiting to fly to Jacksonville at a separate time.

A letter in her file shows that in 1993, she lied on a report about a flight.

“You stated you were on a familiarization trip in the jump seat of American Airlines Flight 684 when in fact you were riding in the cabin of American Airlines Flight 1008,” wrote supervisor Paul R. Knight. “Your action resulted in an abuse of the Familiarization Trip Program and was a direct falsification of a government account.”

She later submitted an affidavit as part of a lawsuit involving the FAA where she explained her actions and acknowledged the reprimand.

“On the return leg of the journey back to Jacksonville, I was authorized to take a flight that left later than the flight that my then fiancé, Kelly Kendall (now my spouse) was scheduled to take,” she wrote.

Kelly Kendall also worked for the FAA at the time, and Kim Kendall said she had gone with him to the airport to see him off.

“At this time we spoke with the pilot for the flight that my fiancé/husband was authorized to take for his FAM trip. The pilot invited me to board his aircraft and sit in the back rather than wait for the later flight that I was authorized to take for the FAM trip. I sat in the passenger section of the plane. I received no FAM training on this particular flight.”

She said a gate agent objected to changing the flight, but the pilot made a call and said he approved the change. But when Kendall submitted her paperwork on the flight later, she wrongly said she had taken the later flight. “This information was not accurate or true,” she wrote.

Florida Politics has reached out to Kendall for comment.

Kendall faces Nick Primrose in an Aug. 20 Republican Primary in House District 18. The winner will face Democrat Keith Matthews in the General Election in November.

Kim Kendall A by Jacob Ogles on Scribd

Kim Kendall B by Jacob Ogles on Scribd

Kendall Interview by Jacob Ogles on Scribd