Published: Thursday, May 4, 2006
$500,000 to settle bias case
County agrees to pay women who claimed harassment at jail
Snohomish County is paying $500,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by three women who said they were sexually harassed in their jobs as county juvenile corrections officers.
The County Council approved the settlement Wednesday.
The three were hired as juvenile corrections officers at the Denny Juvenile Justice Center in Everett in 1998 and 1999.
The three entered a "sexually charged" work environment, said Robin Phillips, attorney for the women.
The three filed a lawsuit in 2004 in King County Superior Court, citing sexual harassment, discrimination and subsequent retaliation for filing complaints.
"Sexual slur, insult and innuendo pervaded the workplace," according to the lawsuit. "Female employees could not work in an environment free from discriminatory intimidation, ridicule and insult."
The harassment included frequent unwelcome touching or the threat of unwelcome touching, according to the lawsuit, and complaints resulted in retaliation and more harassment.
During the same time spanning the allegations, other complaints emerged. Investigations led to the departure of a handful of male employees. Some of those people were identified in the lawsuit as engaging in inappropriate workplace conduct, deputy prosecutor Michael Held said.
Those who left were fired, resigned in lieu of being fired or otherwise quit, Held said.
The lawsuit claimed the allegations were more widespread than thought, Held said.
The county and juvenile court took those allegations seriously, Held said.
"While the county does not admit liability, it was sufficiently concerned about evidence to be presented by plaintiffs and the jury's response to that evidence," the prosecutor said. "The county believed a settlement was appropriate."
The settlement will be divided among the women. Two are still county juvenile corrections officers, and the third works elsewhere in the county, Phillips said.
"The women I represent all want to continue working at the county, all want to put this behind them and all want to move forward with their careers," Phillips said.
"My clients and I are all very pleased with the settlement."
Under the agreement, the women are not allowed to discuss the case, Phillips said.
Held said that juvenile court continues to work with management, supervisors and staff to ensure that these types of allegations won't be raised again.
The County Council approved the settlement Wednesday.
The three were hired as juvenile corrections officers at the Denny Juvenile Justice Center in Everett in 1998 and 1999.
The three entered a "sexually charged" work environment, said Robin Phillips, attorney for the women.
The three filed a lawsuit in 2004 in King County Superior Court, citing sexual harassment, discrimination and subsequent retaliation for filing complaints.
"Sexual slur, insult and innuendo pervaded the workplace," according to the lawsuit. "Female employees could not work in an environment free from discriminatory intimidation, ridicule and insult."
The harassment included frequent unwelcome touching or the threat of unwelcome touching, according to the lawsuit, and complaints resulted in retaliation and more harassment.
During the same time spanning the allegations, other complaints emerged. Investigations led to the departure of a handful of male employees. Some of those people were identified in the lawsuit as engaging in inappropriate workplace conduct, deputy prosecutor Michael Held said.
Those who left were fired, resigned in lieu of being fired or otherwise quit, Held said.
The lawsuit claimed the allegations were more widespread than thought, Held said.
The county and juvenile court took those allegations seriously, Held said.
"While the county does not admit liability, it was sufficiently concerned about evidence to be presented by plaintiffs and the jury's response to that evidence," the prosecutor said. "The county believed a settlement was appropriate."
The settlement will be divided among the women. Two are still county juvenile corrections officers, and the third works elsewhere in the county, Phillips said.
"The women I represent all want to continue working at the county, all want to put this behind them and all want to move forward with their careers," Phillips said.
"My clients and I are all very pleased with the settlement."
Under the agreement, the women are not allowed to discuss the case, Phillips said.
Held said that juvenile court continues to work with management, supervisors and staff to ensure that these types of allegations won't be raised again.
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