Officer Sues Police Department for Retaliating Against Her After She Filed Discrimination Complaint

People who embark on a career of police work know that they are assuming risks to their health.  The job necessarily involves entering dangerous situations to minimize the risk of injury to the public.  Law enforcement officers, like all workers, have the right to reasonable accommodations for their disabilities, regardless of whether the illness or injury that caused the disability happened at work.  Laws about reasonable accommodations do not always require employers to implement the exact accommodation that the employee requests; they can negotiate until they find an accommodation that is feasible for the employer and enables the employee to continue doing his or her job.  Even if your employer cannot make the accommodations exactly as you requested, it is against the law for your employer to retaliate against you for requesting disability accommodations by taking an adverse action against you, such as denying you a promotion when you become eligible for one.  If your employer retaliated against you after you requested disability accommodations, contact a Los Angeles discrimination and harassment lawyer.

Police Department Placed Plaintiff in Situations That Risked Her Health After She Complained

The plaintiff in a currently pending employment discrimination lawsuit began working for a police department in California in 2008.  She willingly took on risky roles, such as crisis negotiation and investigating sex crimes.  She suffered her share of health issues on the job.  For example, a suspect cut her with a knife while she arrested him, and the wound became infected.  She was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2013 and temporarily required accommodations.  She also took a Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave of absence from work when she gave birth to her child.

In 2019, the police department demoted her from her role in training other officers.  She appealed the decision, as all demoted employees have the right to do.  In the lawsuit, the plaintiff alleges that the police department’s actions following her appeal were retaliatory.  For example, she applied for several desirable positions, such as school resource officer, but did not get them.  Likewise, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the department assigned her to work closely with an officer whose domestic partner worked in a hospital and was constantly exposed to COVID-19, thereby exposing the other officer, and by extension, the plaintiff.  The plaintiff complained that, given how Crohn’s disease and its treatment affected her immune system, it was unusually dangerous for her to be paired with this officer.

In 2024, the plaintiff sued the police department, alleging sex discrimination, disability discrimination, and retaliation.  News reports did not indicate the amount of damages that she requested.

Speak With a Los Angeles Employment Discrimination Lawyer

A Los Angeles employment discrimination and retaliation lawyer can help you if your employer retaliated against you for exercising your right to reasonable accommodations for a disability.  Contact Litigation, P.C. in Redondo Beach, California to discuss your situation or call (424)284-2401.

Source:

mynewsla.com/crime/2024/08/03/female-redondo-beach-officer-alleges-gender-disability-discrimination/