RRU News: Harassment, cruel, demeaning treatment suit

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

RRU News: Harassment, cruel, demeaning treatment suit

Ex-Temecula city employee sues, alleging harassment

A former Temecula city employee is suing the city, Riverside County and a Cal Fire captain, alleging the captain subjected her to cruel, demeaning treatment while at work.

Janet Beauchamp, 54, also alleges she was fired for reporting the harassment by Capt. Timothy Buckley, and that the city and county failed to prevent or adequately deal with Buckley's conduct.

The lawsuit filed Jan. 16 in Riverside County Superior Court seeks unspecified damages for loss of earnings and benefits and emotional injury.

Buckley could not be reached for comment. Capt. Fernando Herrera, a Cal Fire spokesman, confirmed Buckley is still employed by Cal Fire but declined further comment. City Attorney Peter Thorson also declined comment.

The city has a contract for fire services with Cal Fire, which also serves as the county Fire Department.

Employed by Temecula for more than four years, Beauchamp coordinated the Temecula Citizen Corps, a group of more than 400 volunteers, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit accuses Buckley of creating a hostile work environment based on Beauchamp's sex and age. Buckley would belittle Beauchamp to the point where she cried daily, the lawsuit alleges.

"(Buckley) would scream and yell at plaintiff and call her stupid, telling her that she couldn't do anything right," the lawsuit reads. "He told her to get on her hands and knees and clean the scuff marks off of the floor and to clean the (urine) off the bathroom floors."

The lawsuit also alleges Buckley had a personal relationship with another woman and "he would yell and scream at plaintiff for telling his wife (when she called) that he was not there, because plaintiff refused to lie."

Buckley was eventually removed as Beauchamp's supervisor, but he continued to demean her by calling her new boss and telling him her work was "all wrong," the lawsuit alleges.

Beauchamp lost her job May 15, 2008, and was told funding for her position no longer existed even though it was funded through June 30, according to the lawsuit.

"In truth and in fact, plaintiff was wrongfully terminated in retaliation" for reporting Buckley's conduct, the lawsuit reads.

http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_slawsuit04.46f5908.html

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Wednesday, February 4, 2009