California Employment Lawyer Blog
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has dismissed a major discrimination and harassment lawsuit filed by a former police lieutenant, according to the Burbank Leader.
The police lieutenant alleged that he was placed on administrative leave in retaliation for complaining of an improper relationship between the police chief and the officers’ union and that he suffered repeated acts of harassment as well as racial discrimination in Burbank.
Discrimination and harassment at work, unfortunately, is not uncommon. And many people are quickly put into a powerless position of having to determine whether they want to risk their careers and jobs in a bad economy or endure what they know is wrong. If you feel you have been harassed or discriminated against at work, contact Orange County Employment Lawyers for a free consultation. We understand these sensitive issues and can give you good advice about your situation.
According to the news report, in dismissing the case, the judge called the allegations against the Burbank Police Department unfounded and lacking. The lieutenant had hoped to sue on behalf of other officers as well.
The lieutenant and 11 other officers were being investigated by the FBI regarding excessive use of force in a 2007 robbery case. In 2009, a detective filed a civil rights lawsuit against the lieutenant and other officers, claiming he was harassed after witnessing the lieutenant place the barrel of his gun under a suspect’s eye. That case was also dismissed.
Both the lieutenant’s case and the detective’s case against the lieutenant are being appealed.
According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the agency received nearly 31,000 claims of workplace harassment in 2010, which is up 35 percent from 1997. In the same time period, overall claims of harassment, from sexual harassment, gender discrimination to age discrimination, the number of claims increased 23 percent from 1997 to 2010. In 2010, 99,922 complaints were filed.
What this shows Orange County Employment Lawyers is that there are many people in the California workforce who aren’t being treated fairly. Sometimes, bosses or corporations don’t intend to discriminate and sometimes it can be obvious and intentional. Workers sometimes don’t even know it’s happening. It may take a company whistleblower to point out things that are said in closed-door board meetings.
Regardless of the reasons or how it happened, it is wrong and should be stopped. It’s possible that a strongly worded letter or meeting can fix the issue. But sometimes it requires litigation. Whether the matter deals with federal employment law, which deals with labor laws and certain types of discrimination, or California employment law, which is broader, an attorney should be contacted. Santa Ana employment lawyers are here for you.
If you need a Los Angeles County discrimination attorney, call the California Employment Law Team at 877-529-4545 to discuss your rights.