Tag:

Workplace Harassment

North Orange
News
Orange County Press Secretary Settles Lawsuit With Employer, Leaves Job Orange County Press Secretary Settles Lawsuit With Employer, Leaves Job
Orange County Press Secretary Settles Lawsuit With Employer, Leaves Job A longtime government press secretary has settled a lawsuit against his employer in the Hudson Valley. Justin Rodriguez, who has worked for Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus since 2015 and was the director of communications for the county, will now be leaving his job, according to his attorney Chris Watkins. Rodriguez sued his employer over allegations that Deputy County Executive Harry Porr often made disparaging remarks about his heritage, Watkins confirmed.  Watkins said Rodriguez has decided to leave county service to pursue other opportunities.  "He wants to make …

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by Kathy Reakes
Somerset
Police & Fire
Suspended NJ Police Chief Indicted As Sexual Predator, New Charges Added: State AG Suspended NJ Police Chief Indicted As Sexual Predator, New Charges Added: State AG
Suspended NJ Police Chief Indicted As Sexual Predator, New Charges Added: State AG A local New Jersey police chief who’d already been charged with sexually preying on women is facing new allegations, the state’s top cop announced on Tuesday. Following his suspension amid sexual assault allegations, Manville Police Chief Thomas Herbst wrongfully held onto his badge, then displayed it as if was still on active duty to a police officer who’d pulled him over late this past January, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said. The charge was contained in an eight-count indictment returned by a state grand jury that focused mostly on what the attorney general called “sexually pred…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Essex NJ
News
Montclair Town Manager Fired Over Harassment Accusations Montclair Town Manager Fired Over Harassment Accusations
Montclair Town Manager Fired Over Harassment Accusations A North Jersey township council on Friday, April 28 voted to fire its manager on accusations he harassed female employees. The Montclair Township Council voted 5-0 in favor of the removal of Timothy Stafford, who has been in office since 2014. Stafford was placed on paid leave in October 2022, prompted by a whistleblower lawsuit filed by Montclair’s chief financial officer, Padmaja Rao, alleging hostility toward women in the workplace. Deputy Township Manager Brian P. Scantlebury will serve as Acting Township Manager, effective immediately.

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by Cecilia Levine
Cumberland Salem
News
Salem County Roads Worker Settles Third Race Discrimination Lawsuit Salem County Roads Worker Settles Third Race Discrimination Lawsuit
Salem County Roads Worker Settles Third Race Discrimination Lawsuit A Salem County road worker has won his third racial discrimination lawsuit against the county, according to a public records advocate. Grady Butts, who is black, sued Salem County in January 2022, alleging he was subjected to repeated verbal abuse and denied promotions because of his race.  That suit was settled on March 7 for $37,500, according to legal papers obtained by open records advocate John Paff. He was the first to report on the latest settlement here. In total, Salem County has paid Butts $118,500 to settle three claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation filed si…

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by Jon Craig
Burlington
News
Special Education Teacher Fired After Complaining About Understaffing In Bordentown: Lawsuit Special Education Teacher Fired After Complaining About Understaffing In Bordentown: Lawsuit
Special Education Teacher Fired After Complaining About Understaffing In Bordentown: Lawsuit A special education teacher has sued a South Jersey school district for firing her after she complained about understaffing. Bryanna Mostak, 30, of Hamilton, was fired after taking a medical leave due to stress and anxiety. Mostak claims her supervisors failed to respond to her complaints as an elementary school teacher in the Bordentown Regional School District. Mostak began the 2021 school year with seven special education students  "who often had very aggressive or violent tendencies and suffered from numerous physical, emotional, behavioral, and psychological challenges," the laws…

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by Jon Craig
Morris
News
Female Boss Groped Montville Google Exec Who Was Ultimately The One Fired, Suit Says Female Boss Groped Montville Google Exec Who Was Ultimately The One Fired, Suit Says
Female Boss Groped Montville Google Exec Who Was Ultimately The One Fired, Suit Says Google is facing a lawsuit from one of its former directors, a New Jersey dad, alleging discrimination and retaliation from another director who allegedly harassed him at a company dinner in 2019. Ryan Olohan, 48, of Morris County, alleges in the suit he was fired from the massive company after another director rubbed his stomach and told him she knew he liked Asian women at a company dinner in 2019, according to a copy of the lawsuit published by Bloomberg Law. Olahan, a dad of seven from Montville who owns ice cream shop Seven Scoops & Sips, alleges in the suit that was only the …

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by Cecilia Levine
Essex NJ
Politics
Montclair Manager On Paid Leave Amid Hostile Workplace Environment Allegations Montclair Manager On Paid Leave Amid Hostile Workplace Environment Allegations
Montclair Manager On Paid Leave Amid Hostile Workplace Environment Allegations Montclair's township manager Timothy Stafford has been placed on paid administrative leave amid allegations of verbally abusing and being hostile toward women in the workplace. Prompted by whistleblower lawsuit filed by Montclair’s chief financial officer, Padmaja Rao, the township's council voted in favor of the leave at the end of a council meeting ending after midnight Tuesday, Oct. 25. Rao said she suffered abusive behavior from Stafford after pointing out "fraudulent" attendance records in the fire department, and when she tried stopping elected officials from receiving health insuran…

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by Cecilia Levine
Orangetown
Business
Details Emerge On Alleged Misbehavior By Rockland's Bill Murray On Movie Set Details Emerge On Alleged Misbehavior By Rockland's Bill Murray On Movie Set
Details Emerge On Alleged Misbehavior By Rockland's Bill Murray On Movie Set After months of speculation surrounding Bill Murray and his alleged transgression on the set of a new movie with a much younger woman, new details have now come to light. According to Puck, filming was suspended in April on the film "Being Moral, also starring Seth Rogen and Aziz Ansari after a complaint was made against the Hudson Valley resident who lives in Rockland County's Orangetown, for inappropriate behavior. Sources told Puck that Murray was very friendly with one female production staffer and at one moment when the two were near a bed on the set, Murray started kissing her body an…

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by Kathy Reakes
Montgomery MD
News
Black Maryland Park Officer Says White Female Sgt. Created 'Hostile, Racist' Work Environment Black Maryland Park Officer Says White Female Sgt. Created 'Hostile, Racist' Work Environment
Black Maryland Park Officer Says White Female Sgt. Created 'Hostile, Racist' Work Environment A Black police officer whose division patrols parks across Montgomery and Prince George’s counties has filed a lawsuit against his white female supervisor, and the commission he worked for, alleging racism and a hostile work environment. Mark Miles —who began working with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Park Police (MNCPPC) in 2019 — alleges that Sgt. Stephanie Harvey and other white officers “mocked, demeaned, ostracized and humiliated” him because of his race, court documents say. “Officer Miles endured a hostile work environment and suffered empl…

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by David Cifarelli
Cumberland
News
Former Naval Support Activity Supervisor Pleaded Guilty To Assaulting Subordinate, USDOJ Says Former Naval Support Activity Supervisor Pleaded Guilty To Assaulting Subordinate, USDOJ Says
Former Naval Support Activity Supervisor Pleaded Guilty To Assaulting Subordinate, Usdoj Says A former supervisor at Naval Support Activity in Mechanicsburg has pleaded guilty to assaulting a subordinate employee, according to the US Department of Justice. Jared Heisey, 30, of Etters, York County, admitted to assaulting a subordinate employee during work hours on Aug. 9, 2019, according to a release by The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Heisey previously worked as a Defense Logistics Agency supervisor at NSA, according to officials. Heisey admitted to directing the victim to accompany him to conduct an inventory count in a remote building a…

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by Jillian Pikora
Berks
Police & Fire
PD: Man Charged With Sexually Assaulting Co-Worker At Duck Farm In Berks County PD: Man Charged With Sexually Assaulting Co-Worker At Duck Farm In Berks County
PD: Man Charged With Sexually Assaulting Co-Worker At Duck Farm In Berks County Charges were filed against a man accused of sexually assaulting his 21-year-old co-worker at a duck farm in Berks County, authorities said. The victim told officers she was sexually assaulted by her co-worker, Axel Sarceno, 45, at Joe Jurgielewicz & Son Ltd duck farm in Hamburg on July 15, according to the Tilden Township Police Department. A criminal complaint was filed against Sarceno on Aug. 11 for misdemeanor indecent assault by force, misdemeanor harassment by communication, and summary harassment. Berks County Detectives assisted in the investigation.

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by Nicole Acosta
Suffolk NY
News
Long Island Diner Sued Over Sexual Harassment Claims Long Island Diner Sued Over Sexual Harassment Claims
Long Island Diner Sued Over Sexual Harassment Claims A Long Island diner has been sued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for allegedly violating federal law by subjecting its female employees to harassment on the basis of sex. According to the EEOC’s suit, the owners of the Colony Diner, located in East Meadow, cousins George and Thomas Strifas, "created, encouraged and tolerated a work environment in which female servers and hostesses experienced unwelcome verbal commentary and physical touching on a daily basis."  Women who objected to the harassment, from the owners and other male employees, were assigned to s…

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by Kathy Reakes
Hudson
Police & Fire
Hudson Prosecutor's Office Workers Probed For 'Offensive & Sickening' Comments Hudson Prosecutor's Office Workers Probed For 'Offensive & Sickening' Comments
Hudson Prosecutor's Office Workers Probed For 'Offensive & Sickening' Comments Employees of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office are the center of an investigation after reportedly making offensive and racist comments, several news outlets say. Assistant Prosecutor Bill Specht and agent Kelly Taylor-Sisk are being probed by Hudson County Counsel, while clerk Debra Collins was issued a three-day suspension for offensive comments, HCPO Spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said. Specht has been stripped of any supervisory or prosecutional authority pending the outcome of the investigation, Morrill added. Screenshots show that Specht made the racist comment while disc…

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by Cecilia Levine
Mount Pleasant
Politics
Hudson Valley Assemblyman's Proposed Bill Named For Cuomo Accuser To Protect Whistleblowers Hudson Valley Assemblyman's Proposed Bill Named For Cuomo Accuser To Protect Whistleblowers
Hudson Valley Assemblyman's Proposed Bill Named For Cuomo Accuser To Protect Whistleblowers A Republican lawmaker in New York took a thinly veiled shot at Gov. Andrew Cuomo with new legislation to protect whistleblowers named after one of the women accusing him of sexual harassment. Hudson Valley Assemblyman Mike Lawler, who represents parts of Rockland, was among the New York lawmakers to introduce new legislation to amend the state’s penal code to add a misdemeanor penalty for public officials that engage in retaliation against those who report any form of sexual harassment. The move comes as Cuomo faces claims of sexual harassment, inappropriate touching, and fostering a hostil…

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by Zak Failla
Suffolk NY
Politics
Ex-Cuomo Aide Cites 'Toxic Team Environment,' Saying Staff Is 'Deathly Afraid Of Him' Ex-Cuomo Aide Cites 'Toxic Team Environment,' Saying Staff Is 'Deathly Afraid Of Him'
Ex-Cuomo Aide Cites 'Toxic Team Environment,' Saying Staff Is 'Deathly Afraid Of Him' A former aide for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo put his office on blast over the weekend, calling it “the most toxic team environment,” and claiming that “there’s a whole book of people who have been harmed” in a lengthy social media diatribe. Lindsey Boylan, a candidate for 2021 Manhattan Borough President, and former Cuomo aide, took to social media over the weekend to make allegations against her former boss in a series of tweets. “I’ve had many jobs," Boylan wrote in response to a tweet questioning “the worst job” one’s ever had. "Waitressing at Friendly’s as a teenager was an infini…

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by Zak Failla
North Orange
News
Area DPW Supervisor Resigns After Racial Comment Area DPW Supervisor Resigns After Racial Comment
Area DPW Supervisor Resigns After Racial Comment The resignation of an area department of public works interim supervisor after allegedly addressing another employee with a racial slur has led to unrest among village residents. The drama unfolded on Thursday, June 4, in Sullivan County when the village of Monticello Department of Public Works Interim Supervisor Ray Jones resigned after being caught on video calling the employee the "n" word, said Monticello Mayor Gary Sommers. A small group of protestors gathered in front of City Hall on Thursday to complain that Jones was allowed to resign instead of being fired. The incident, which had…

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by Kathy Reakes
Hackensack
Schools
LAWSUIT: Bergen Tech Counselor Fired For Reporting Co-Worker Who Wanted To Bring Gun To School LAWSUIT: Bergen Tech Counselor Fired For Reporting Co-Worker Who Wanted To Bring Gun To School
Lawsuit: Bergen Tech Counselor Fired For Reporting Co-Worker Who Wanted To Bring Gun To School A former counselor at Bergen County Technical Schools has filed a lawsuit claiming she was fired after reporting a colleague who wanted to bring a gun to the school’s office, according to a report by NJ.com. Dumont resident Laura Martin was working as a career counselor for special needs students at the school’s “One Stop Career Center” in Hackensack when her newly-hired coworker said she wanted to carry a weapon, court papers said. The suit, filed in Bergen County Superior Court last month, claims the coworker “had asked Human Resources if she could bring a gun to work because of the type …

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by Valerie Musson
White Plains
News
Westchester Correction Officer Suspended After Alleged Racial Comments Westchester Correction Officer Suspended After Alleged Racial Comments
Westchester Correction Officer Suspended After Alleged Racial Comments A Westchester County corrections officer has reportedly been suspended after making racially insensitive comments to two black co-workers. According to The Journal News/lohud.com, sources provided information that the officer is accused of making comments about a co-worker's race during an argument. Following that event, the employee was transferred to the female division, where he reportedly used another racial comment and threatened to slap another employee. Jail officials would not discuss whether the incidents occurred or if the employee was suspended or terminated. "The West…

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by Kathy Reakes
Lyndhurst
Police & Fire
US Customs Agent From Lyndhurst Admits Terrorizing Fellow Workers US Customs Agent From Lyndhurst Admits Terrorizing Fellow Workers
US Customs Agent From Lyndhurst Admits Terrorizing Fellow Workers A Customs and Border Protection officer from Lyndhurst admitted beating and terrorizing fellow employees at Newark Airport, federal authorities said Tuesday. Another CBP worker from Hawthorne and a co-worker were indicted Tuesday on similar charges, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. Tito Catota, 38, admitted Monday that he and his two co-defendants -- Parmenio I. Perez, 40, of Hawthorne and Michael A. Papagni, 32, of Staten Island – “assaulted, impeded, intimidated, and interfered” with two CBP officers while on the job. The trio, "who were members of a unit responsible for identify…

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by Jerry DeMarco