Given the current number of people in the news who are facing sexual harassment allegations these days, it is no surprise that many of these cases are resulting in legal filings. Employment law violations should be dealt with, but simply because accusations are made does not make them true. Just as an alleged victim deserves to have a chance to seek compensation in a legal case, the accused and an employer – in the public or private sector – also has the right to formulate a strong defense against the allegations.
A federal lawsuit has been filed by a former deputy in Louisiana. According to his claim, he was dismissed from his job due to sexual harassment and age discrimination. The man says that another deputy was making negative comments about the man’s age – 49 – and called him an old man. The complainant was demoted to the radio room and was no longer placed on patrol. While there, he claims to have been subjected to vulgarities from female employees talking about sex.
The former deputy was on the job for almost three years. The department did not comment on his allegations. In addition, the complainant states that he was injured on duty when his hand got caught in a car door. He was demoted and had a pay cut for allegations that he did not use his emergency lights when making a traffic stop. His hand injury was aggravated by the typing on his radio room shifts. A doctor had said that he could perform light duty, but not type. He was fired after he took a typing test and could not meet the minimum requirements.
Allegations of various forms of harassment and violations of employment law can happen in jobs in law enforcement just as they can happen in other jobs such as the corporate world. However, just because there are complaints made, it does not make them completely accurate. If there are work issues with a person and minimum requirements are not met to do certain jobs, employers also have rights. Every sexual harassment case should be heard, but employers must remember to protect themselves and hire a law firm that can help with a strong defense of employment-related allegations of wrongdoing.
Source: nola.com, “Fired St. Tammany deputy claims age discrimination, sexual harassment in lawsuit,” Robert Rhoden, Nov. 27, 2017
