Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyer Blog

The female officer was still a rookie when a lieutenant was transferred to her precinct in New York City.

It was then she alleges that the sexual harassment began.

Our Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyers know that cases of inappropriate behavior toward female officers by their colleagues are not limited to the West Coast. Examples are found all over the country - though this is a particularly egregious one.

We also know that these lawsuits take courage to file. For most officers, especially females and especially newer officers, there is an extreme reticence to take this action. Even when they know what is happening is unacceptable, they don't want to be seen as weak or unable to handle it on their own.

However, when superior officers target them for consistent harassment, the effects are damaging not only psychologically and emotionally, but professionally as well. Refusing to submit to sexual demands or requests can result in negative consequences on the job. Those might include retaliatory actions such as reduced hours, undesirable assignments or intensified scrutiny.

Department leaders have historically taken the side of the superior officer, therefore casting the complainant as a "trouble maker" in an attempt to make her less credible.

All of this is why it's advisable for someone suffering from sexual harassment to consult with a lawyer before you even file a complaint with your employer. We are your advocates, and even if we don't get directly involved right away, we can advise you on the best steps to take to document the incidents and ensure they are appropriately documented and reported. That way, if swift, decisive action isn't taken, you have a stronger civil case to take to court.

In this case, the newly-transferred lieutenant reportedly wasted no time in targeting the victim. Soon after meeting her, he invited her to his home for dinner, mentioning that his wife would not be home. The rookie, who was also married, declined.

He made repeated comments about her body, which she tried to brush off. When she returned from taking a sick leave he grabbed her in an awkward embrace that lasted several beats too long.

Another time, he began massaging her shoulders, an action at which she said she instantly recoiled. He responded by chastising her about whether she liked white men (she is black).

He later made it a point to brag to her about how the chief was his "boy."

All of this would have more than constituted enough for a complaint. However, she didn't file a formal one with the agency until he reportedly ran his hand suggestively down her back. When she snapped at him to ask what he was doing, he responded he was checking to see if she was wearing a bullet-proof vest.

After that, the lieutenant ordered her to seek a psychological evaluation for "anxiety." The agency therapist said she was drinking excessively to deal with stress and ordered her to go to rehab. She refused, and was subsequently suspended for one month.

The lieutenant was later docked about a week's worth of vacation time for failing to maintain professional decorum in the workplace, but other than that, has remained in his position within the department.

Continue reading "Rookie Cop Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Lieutenant " »

The chief of police for the Newport Beach Police Department is embroiled in a sexual harassment claim involving a former dispatcher, also the wife of a fired officer.

Our Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyers know that victims in these situations have often endured so much by the time they turn to the courts for justice. This case appears to be no different.

The victim's basic claim is that she was not only sexually harassed by the chief, but also discriminated against and then wrongfully terminated. The lawsuit names both the city and the police department, but the majority of the allegations are directed squarely at the chief.

The chief, city manager and city attorney all deny the claims made in the complaint, filed recently in the Orange County Superior Court, though such denials are boilerplate in the beginning stages of a sexual harassment case.

The former dispatcher says that she had worked with the city since 1990, going to part-time beginning in 2001.

Then in 2011, her husband, a police officer with the city, was fired. Prior to his termination, he had testified on behalf of a sergeant who had alleged mistreatment by both colleagues and superiors because the sergeant was gay. Prior to that testimony, the officer had been given great reviews, as well as a number of awards and commendations. Subsequent to his testimony, however, the officer was the subject of numerous internal investigations that he said were clearly retaliatory. His colleagues called him a traitor. After he was fired, he filed suit against the city last year, alleging retaliation and wrongful termination.

It was following his filing of a lawsuit that his wife says the chief began to harass her. In one instance, the chief reportedly called the dispatcher into his office to discuss her husband's conduct. One of the allegations that had been made against her husband involved improper use of city computers to view pornography while on duty - a charge her husband had denied. During that one-on-one closed-door session, the dispatcher says the chief sat within inches of her and attempted during that time to physically intimidate her.

In the months after that, she says there were a number of other occasions when the chief proceeded to harass her. In another encounter, he approached her dispatch console and again stood within inches of her and told her that he "really liked" her.

These actions understandably had her feeling intimidated and uncomfortable. She reported them to her supervisor, she says, but nothing was done.

Then one day, she handled a 911 call that she says was severely emotionally distressful. She asked for a few minutes to herself. The supervisor would later report that her conduct was "disruptive" to the rest of the staff.

Policy would have dictated that after such an incident she be directed to speak with a psychologist. However, that did not happen and several months later, it was on the basis of her actions that day that she says the department moved to fire her.

This case shows that sexual harassment need not include quid pro quo demands for sex or even necessarily physical touching. The events described here, however, could meet the criteria for the establishment of a hostile work environment.

Some other examples of sexual hostile work environment harassment are:

• Leering;


• Offensive remarks about body parts, clothing or looks;


• Touching in a manner that makes the employee uncomfortable;


• Telling sexual jokes, hanging lewd posters or making sexually-suggestive gestures;


• Forwarding sexually-explicit e-mails, notes or images.

Continue reading "Sexual Harassment Claim Involves Police Chief, Dispatcher" »

A panel of appellate court judges have upheld a ruling in favor of the defendant - in this case the Department of Corrections - in a California sexual harassment suit.

Our Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyers are of course disappointed anytime a victim of sexual harassment is on the losing end of a trial. On the other hand, we realize how difficult these cases can be to prove in court. At our firm, we apply our years of experience in this field when taking on a case. While no attorney can guarantee you a courtroom win, we can promise that our skilled lawyers will scour the details of your case - including phone, financial, computer and witness statements - to ensure you will have the best possible chance.

In this case, Manuel v. Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the situation involved a female prison captain, who had worked at the facility since 1979, and a warden who was appointed to his post in 2005. The captain said she was fired after complaining about the hostile environment she endured as a result of sexual harassment from the new warden.

She sued the state's department of corrections, which ultimately won at trial, and the appeals court has just held that the former captain had not sufficiently proved her case.

According to the complainant, the sexual harassment took place shortly after the warden started. The first incidents began happening at executive staff meetings, when the warden reportedly sat close to the captain, making it so his arm would touch hers and whispering various (non-sexual) comments in her ear.

After that, as part of the warden's vetting process, confidential interviews were conducted with high-level staffers. After the captain's interview, she claims the warden cornered her in a hallway and asked what she had said. While she said he didn't threaten her, she was intimidated by his size.

A few months later, the captain requested the warden's contact information to be used for professional purposes. He reportedly responded that he had a special number for her, and gave her not only his cell number, but also a hotel number.

A few weeks later, he reportedly approached her from behind and placed his hands on her shoulders, and guided her out into the parking lot to talk about a class they were both taking.

The captain said that on multiple occasions, the warden invited her to have alcoholic beverages with him, which she repeatedly declined.

Then late in that year, she said, is when the retaliation began. These included allegations that she had failed to take a drug test and other false allegations, which she says the warden knew were untrue and yet did not stand up to defend her.

She then reported the harassment to the department, and additionally filed a complaint with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing.

She was ultimately fired.

However, an internal investigation by the prison suggested that she was fired for falsifying documents in relation to a riot that happened among prisoners. The agency claimed there were conflicted statements about what had happened, and the captain's reports didn't accurately reflect the events as they occurred.

However, whether this incident was properly documented should have no bearing on the alleged actions of the warden. It in no way gives him permission to act as he allegedly did.

In the end, the appeals court decided she had not proved that the actions taken against her were the direct result of the harassment she claimed to have suffered.

Continue reading "MANUEL v. DEPT. OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION: Ruling Stands" »

Los Angeles Downtown News is reporting that several lawsuits alleging both racism and sexual harassment at the Los Angeles Police Department have caused a shakeup in personnel.

Allegations of sexual harassment are nothing new at the police department, unfortunately. Our Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyers have chronicled on our blog the plight of department officials, who have done little to change the atmosphere for officers and staff.

And that's what these types of cases come down to -- atmosphere. If a work environment allows this type of behavior and employees aren't willing to step up and challenge it, the problem will persist. So, while it is incumbent upon employers to do the right thing, often employees are the ones who must create the change by standing up against the issue.

According to the lawsuit, staff members from the department's Central Division have been named in several lawsuits alleging both racial and sexual harassment. Officers allege that command staff tolerate the harassment and have been unwilling to stop it.

Four officers and two sergeants have been transferred and were downgraded in rank, the article states. The city is now fighting three lawsuits filed by officers in the division's Community Relations Department.

The lawsuits allege that the department allowed for supervisors to make racial and sexually motivated remarks and pranks that became embedded in the culture of the office. Some examples cited by the article:

• A sergeant presenting a black officer with a cake topped with a slice of watermelon and a piece of fried chicken


• The same sergeant sending racially sensitive text messages about an officer who is of Mexican descent


• The sergeant removing one officer from an overtime detail and putting his wife, another officer, in that spot

The officers all allege they brought their concerns and examples to a captain who was in charge of the sergeant, though he refused to mete out discipline. LAPD officials deny any wrongdoing and say the department's atmosphere is full of jokes and pranks that aren't intended to be malicious.

But the officers allege not only were they subjected to the harassment and racial comments, but they were transferred to less-than-desirable locations after complaining about their treatment. They believe they were retaliated against for speaking out about the behavior of their superiors.

This, too, isn't uncommon. When people bring up complaints about poor treatment and sexual harassment, their employers sometimes will attempt to retaliate against them by treating them poorly or even firing them. This is another reason why consulting with an attorney is critical in order to craft a well-written and researched lawsuit to protect your rights.

Continue reading "LAPD Sexual Harassment Causes Division Shakeup" »

A Vacaville police officer, who formerly worked as an Oakland Raiders cheerleader has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the city.

Sexual harassment in Los Angeles, unfortunately, is not uncommon. Despite many laws on the books and wide coverage in the news media about lawsuits and big jury awards, bosses and companies still routinely treat people disrespectfully with sexual innuendos or advances in the workplace.

Even though the job market is tough right now, no one should have to work in an environment where they are subjected to being uncomfortable because they are being harassed. If you are in that situation, speak with an experienced Orange County Sexual Harassment Lawyer immediately.

In Vacaville, which is northeast of the Bay area, the 35-year-old officer said in a federal civil rights lawsuit that she endured jokes and comments about her looks by other officers. She joined the force in 2004 and has been on unpaid leave since 2009, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The comments stem from her former career as an Oakland Raiders cheerleader from 1997 to 2001, according to the lawsuit.

The woman says in the lawsuit that one sergeant once asked a room of colleagues to raise their hands if they wanted to see the plaintiff naked and another officer once told her, "nice rack." A supervisor once allegedly told her not to use the department's gym because of the attention she would draw to herself and someone once altered photos of her and other cheerleaders and post it for all to see.

She was placed on leave after she was charged with 10 felony counts of fraud for allegedly filing workers' compensation claims. Those charges were later dropped and stemmed from injuries sustained in a defensive tactics class. She returned to full duty and then alleges she was still injured. The city wouldn't provide her medical treatment or allow her to return to light-duty status, the lawsuit states.

Retaliation or refusal to pay legitimate medical claims stemming from work injury are unlawful and should not be tolerated.

Sexual harassment can be many different things, but often comes from unwelcome advances, requests for dates or sex, being sent inappropriate sex-based emails at work or being inappropriately touched or ogled.

None of these behaviors are right. Harassment in the workplace should be fought aggressively. A lawsuit is one way to do it, but an experienced Newport Beach Sexual Harassment Lawyer can work with the client and company to stop the behavior without dealing with the difficulty of litigation in some cases. Sometimes, though, that simply won't work and the case must be sent to trial.

Continue reading "Cheerleader-Turned-Cop Sues California City For Sexual Harassment" »

At least 17 employees of the Los Angeles Police Department have won million-dollar-plus awards from various suits against the city in which they accused the department of acts of retaliation, racial discrimination, sexual harassment in Los Angeles and workplace injustices, according to The Los Angeles Times. About a dozen more suits have awarded officers with five- and six-figure payouts.

A Los Angeles sexual harassment attorney understands that sexual harassment happens all too often in the workplace. Various forms of sexual harassment can include requests for sexual favors, inappropriate touching, unwanted advances or sexual innuendos and jokes. The number of cases continue to rise. Sometimes these acts of sexual harassment can be so severe that workplace performance can diminish or the behavior can negatively affect one's chances for getting a promotion.

Los Angeles city records report numerous officers have sued the department over workplace issues more than 250 times between the years of 2005 and 2010. The city has dished out a grand total of more than $18 million in settlements in about 45 of the cases. They've lost several other judgments that cost them several more millions. As it's not always a losing game for the city, they've prevailed in about 50 cases. Many cases, representing millions of dollars in potential liability remain unsettled.

"These cases irk the heck out of me," city councilman Greig Smith told the Times, adding the city's job-protection rules make it too difficult to fire officers who cause workplace problems. "Somebody running a private company would never let this ... stand. Why do we let it happen here? And we see the same things happening over and over again."

After large police departments were surveyed across the country, results showed that LAPD officers file lawsuits more than any other large police department. Their lawsuit filing record was roughly three times more than other large departments.

"I've got a news flash for the 'leaders' who are tasked with ensuring the Department treats its people fairly. Look in the mirror to find out where the problems are," Sgt. John Mumma, the union's secretary, wrote recently in letter published in the union's magazine. "How many more officers are going to become millionaires over the botched handling of their cases?"

A list of officers who received $1-million-plus sexual harassment settlements at the LAPD can be found on the LA Times website.

Continue reading "LAPD Officers Collect $18 Million in Various Los Angeles Sexual Harassment Suits" »

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors agreed to fork out $900,000 to settle a sexual harassment suit filed by one of their deputies. The deputy accused his supervisor of sexually harassing him and threatening him with violent acts, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Even after the county agreed to pay out the $900,000, the supervisor denies the allegations of sexual harassment in Los Angeles.

Our Los Angeles sexual assault attorneys urge you to report all forms of sexual harassment to your supervisor as soon as possible. You are also urged to contact an experienced attorney to ensure that the proper steps are being taken to protect your workplace rights.

"Sexual harassment is about using power in a way to hurt somebody," says Marcia McCormick, associate professor at Saint Louis University School of Law, who specializes in employment law and gender issues.

On our Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyer Blog, we recently discussed the various ways that sexual harassment can occur in the workplace. Male on male sexual harassment cases are on the rise in Los Angeles and elsewhere in the United States. According to Newsweek, same-sex harassment has only been recognized by the court system for a little more than 20 years now.

More than 15 percent of the nearly 13,000 sexual harassment incidents reported in 2009 came from males. This is the largest number of male-reported sexual harassment ever received by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

One of the allegations made by the deputy was that his supervisor requested that he "come into the bathroom for a rectal probe" and boasted he could get the deputy "so drunk" that the deputy would perform oral sex on him, according to the L.A. Times.

"While some people may think sexual harassment of male employees is a joke, the issue is real," says David Grinberg, spokesperson for the EEOC. "We are seeing more of it, and such conduct has serious legal consequences for employers." The EEOC reports that incidents including male on male sexual harassment claims are indeed on the rise.

Our sexual harassment attorneys have been representing clients in sexual harassment cases in Los Angeles County for years now and have a built a strong reputation for achieving justice for our clients. If you're experiencing a sexual harassment case in Los Angeles or the surrounding area, it is critical for you to contact an attorney to protect your rights, your dignity, and your financial well-being.

Continue reading "Nearly $1 million later -- Los Angeles Deputy Still Denies Allegations in Los Angeles Sexual Harassment Case" »

A jury has awarded a sheriff's sergeant $211,700 as the result of a sexual harassment lawsuit in Los Angeles, according to a report in the Mercury News.

Pasadena Employment Attorney Okorie Okorocha said the female sergeant was sexually harassed by a lieutenant from the moment she began working at the Norwalk Sheriff's Station. This included attempts to get her to call him after hours and unwanted touching. He also indicated he had the power to get her promoted if she "cooperated."

Despite making formal complaints through the chain of command, she was denied transfers and promotions. Ultimately, she was relegated to secretarial duties normally handled by interns. The jury awarded her $211,700 plus attorney fees.

"Attorneys with the California Legal Team worked to get (her) the justice she deserved after enduring sexual harassment for years," Okorocha said.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported 11,717 sexual harassment complaints were filed in 2010. That is down from the 13,000 a year reported before the economic downturn. Unfortunately, victims may be less likely to report such harassment during a poor economy.

However, harassed workers who seek qualified legal representation enjoy protected status as state and federal law forbids retaliation. Sexually harassing behavior does not usually resolve itself. In most cases, an offender must be disciplined and/or removed from the workplace.

Continue reading "California Legal Team wins Los Angeles Sexual Harassment Claim against LCSO" »