Allentown’s former human resources director says he was forced out because he refused to follow Mayor Matt Tuerk’s order to fire a “troublemaker” employee, according to a lawsuit.

Nadeem Shahzad filed the lawsuit Monday in federal court. It says he lasted only 35 days before he was forced out by Tuerk.

The mayor and the city solicitor didn’t immediately reply to an email seeking comment Monday.

The lawsuit says Tuerk wanted Shahzad to fire an employee who the mayor said was outspoken on the issue of racial discrimination. Shahzad said firing the employee would amount to illegal discrimination, the suit says.

It says Shahzad was told to either resign or be fired, so he signed a resignation letter that had been prepared by the city. When he applied for employment benefits, the city all

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