Non-Shaving Deputy Wins Punitive Damages, Attorney Fees

Discrimination, Gender Discrimination, Public Safety Labor News, Racial Discrimination, Sexual Discrimination, Sexual Harassment

Lavanden Darks is one of four black deputies with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department in Missouri. Jackson County employs approximately 100 sworn officers. In 2014, Jackson County required all sworn officers appearing in uniform to be clean shaven with the exception of moustaches. Darks experienced pain with shaving and was medically diagnosed with an inflammatory…

‘Stray Comments’ Do Not Support Trooper’s Sex Discrimination Claim

Public Safety Labor News, Sexual Discrimination

Moira Lamay was a Vermont state trooper. Lamay voluntarily resigned from her position as in February 2002, and was rehired in August 2003. In October 2004, following an internal investigation, Lamay admitted that she violated state police policy by filing a report concerning a high-speed chase that contained factual errors and inaccuracies. She accepted a…

Sexual Harassment Too Old To Be ‘Continuing’

Discrimination, Gender Discrimination, Public Safety Labor News, Retaliation, Sexual Discrimination

Genevieve Drees has served both as a dispatcher and a detention employee for Suffolk County, New York. Drees brought a sex discrimination lawsuit against the County, contending that she was the victim of gender-based hostile work environment harassment, and that she had been retaliated against for raising a harassment issue. A federal court dismissed the…