Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyer Blog

A former state parks supervisor has been accused of sexually harassing a subordinate and then terminating her without proper cause.

The lawsuit, which was filed back in June, involves a man who is also involved in a dust-up over an unauthorized vacation buyout program.

Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyers understand that while one may not have much to do with the other, that type of evidence can hamper the credibility of the accused. This is especially helpful in cases where the evidence primarily pits one person's word against that of someone else.

The supervisor in question had a cushy $100,000-a-year position, from which he resigned several months ago following an internal investigation that indicated he approved the payment of more than $270,000 in taxpayer money to workers who didn't use their vacation time.

Making matters worse, the department, under the supervisor's direction, had hoarded a stash of nearly $55 million, which it did not reveal even as it threatened numerous park closures if it didn't receive non-profit funds.

As one state senator was quoted as saying, clearly the allegations of harassment indicate that the problems within the department extended far beyond what the public might have initially believed.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the victim in this case filed her suit about nine months after she was fired. She said it started when she expressed concern to her boss about how previous allegations of sex harassment had been handled within the department.

In the months prior to that, she stated that on many occasions and even in front of other employees, the supervisor in question made several sexual comments to her. He reportedly talked at length about having sex and about women being injured during sexual acts. She told him it made her uncomfortable, but it didn't stop.

And when the married mother of five complained to her boss, he told her to simply ignore it. The company reportedly told her she didn't have any power, and that she was being a troublemaker.

She said she also became aware that her supervisors had knowledge of the hidden money. There was a lot of talk of an excess of cash, with regular discussions held on how it needed to be spent.

The reason given for her firing was that she had been seen participating in a fitness class after injuring her back in a car accident and going on disability leave for several months. However, she said the classes were part of the physical therapy routine prescribed by her doctor and that the department failed to conduct any form of investigation before firing her.

Handling such cases against municipalities pose several challenges. Government entities often have in-house legal counsel, where another case to litigate doesn't necessarily equate to an increase in litigation expenses. The entity can afford to defend itself, in other words. And delay is always desirable. In cases like this, where a series of allegations lead to a departmental housecleaning, it can also be more challenging to obtain records and hold the department accountable.

Each case is unique. And your best bet is always to consult with an experienced Los Angeles employment law attorney before taking any action.