In 2011, two female officers for the Los Angeles Police Department had filed a lawsuit against the city for violating their rights as employees. Both of the women are lesbians, and even though employers are prohibited from sexually harassing workers, the two women claimed that they were harassed on several occasions because of their sexual orientation.
The female officers claimed that they were both harassed by the same supervisor when they were transferred to the supervisor’s division in 2010. The supervisor made obscene comments and suggestions, and even though the workers both reported the sexual harassment and sexual orientation discrimination to other senior officials at the department, nothing was done to put an end to the harassment.
However, the city will finally pay for violating the rights of the two employees.
According to reports, an internal investigation was finally initiated after the two LAPD officers filed their lawsuit. The findings of the investigation have not been made public, but the Los Angeles City Council has agreed to settle the lawsuit for $1.25 million.
When wronged employees in San Diego and throughout the state of California decide that they have had enough of their employers’ illegal employment practices, employees may consider consulting an experienced and aggressive attorney who will be able to help protect their rights.
Pursuing a lawsuit against an employer is a complex process, and when cases are not handled appropriately or strategically, wronged employees may not be able to get the justice they deserve and need to move on with their lives. This is because some illegal practices and violations of employment laws are challenging to prove.
Before moving forward with their cases, employees need to make sure there is enough evidence to support their claims, and they also need to know how to calculate past and future damages resulting from their employer’s wrongdoings. An attorney will know how to handle these issues and guide wronged employees in the right direction during their pursuit for justice.
Source: Los Angeles Times, “Lesbian LAPD officers settle harassment suit for $1.25 million,” Joel Rubin, March 20, 2013