• 04
  • August
    2011

A female former employee of a District Attorney's office alleged that the agency's Chief Administrative Officer made unwanted sexual advances to her on a number of occasions, as well as other repulsive conduct. She filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the harasser and the District Attorney. The federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits sexual harassment at work, and applies to employers in California and nationwide.

The ex-employee accused the District Attorney of failing to properly respond to her complaints concerning the harassment, and she claimed he did not take her complaints seriously. The lawsuit, initially filed in a state court in April, was recently moved to a federal district court.

In her lawsuit, the plaintiff asserted that the sexual harassment occurred so often that it created a sexually hostile work environment, forcing her to leave the job.

When she complained to DA, he merely told her harasser not to keep asking her for sex. While this resulted in a temporary pause in his lewd and lascivious conduct, he then punished her in retaliation. He treated her differently than other employees with regard to her career advancement, benefits and pay. The DA allegedly failed to provide a fair investigation into either the harassment or the retaliation.

The lawsuit seeks recovery of lost pay, as well as compensation for emotional distress. The plaintiff claims that the events surrounding the harassment and retaliation damaged her professional reputation. Claims for punitive damages and attorney fees are also asserted.

Source: Daily World, "Suit against Cravins goes to feds," Tina Marie Macias, July 30, 2011