Established 1958 ~ Hardball Business Litigation & Complex Negotiations

Two Emergency Services Employees File Lawsuit Against Delaware County for Hostile Work Environment

A federal civil lawsuit has been filed against Delaware County by two former employees with the Delaware County Department of Emergency Services. Both individuals were longtime employees with exemplary records. One of the women worked as an information systems coordinator and the other worked as a 911 coordinator.

The lawsuit alleges that they were sexually harassed by their co-workers, and that there was an abusive and hostile work environment.

Both women were accused of having pornographic images on their computers at work, which resulted in their termination.

Allegations of a Hostile Work Environment

In the lawsuit, which was filed in late November, the women alleged that they were passed over for pay raises and promotions on multiple occasions. In addition, they claimed that a number of female workers were not given permission to use company-owned cars and electronics, or access to reserved parking spots while men were able to take advantage of these perks.

Men were also given more vacation days and were allowed to roll over vacation and sick days, but women had to use these days by a certain date or lose them. Women were also penalized for showing up to work late or leaving early, whereas these rules were not strictly enforced with the men.

The women also alleged that they were humiliated and disrespected at work when male employees left trash on their workspaces and were told that they had to attend meetings with the office manager twice a day for no apparent reason. Both women claimed that the treatment was an act of retaliation in response to them speaking out about the hostile work environment, in addition to waste and fraud.

According to the suit, when one of the women got sick at work she could not leave until she obtained written permission to depart. According to the lawsuit, men could leave without similar permission.

The Firing of the Employees

Prior to termination, police showed up at one women’s home and the other’s office asking them about pornographic images that were found on their work computers. The former employees denied ever seeing these images on their computers.

According to the attorney representing the women, the fact that it was on their computer is another example of the hostile and abusive treatment in the workplace. The attorney representing the county and its employees declined to comment.

The women have filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and are seeking damages for lost wages as a result of their termination.

Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. Represent Victims of Workplace Harassment

If your employee rights have been violated due to a hostile work environment, you are urged to contact the Philadelphia employment lawyers at the  Law Office of Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. We handle a wide range of legal matters related to workplace harassment, including sexual harassment and wrongful termination. We will protect your rights and obtain the maximum financial compensation you deserve. To schedule a confidential consultation, call us today at 215-574-0600 or contact us online. Our offices are conveniently located in Philadelphia, where we serve clients throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey and New Jersey.