Senator Bob Archuleta has been sued for sexual harassment by a former employee, identified as “Jane Doe”.
According to court documents filed last Thursday, Sen. Archuleta made inappropriate comments about her breasts and publicly reprimanded and embarrassed her. She also claims that he shared with her information about affairs he had.
The former employee also claims she experienced workplace discrimination and retaliation after she dismissed his sexual advances. She resigned after she complained of sexual harassment to her supervisor.
The suit also states that she filed a complaint with the Legislature’s Workplace Conduct Unit (WCU) but it failed to act in a timely manner.
In an email statement, Archuleta denied the allegations and looked forward to disproving the claims in court.
Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins said that they were made aware of some of the allegations. He said that since the suit was filed before the investigation was completed, the WCU’s investigation was placed on hold.
In California, it is illegal for employers to harass or discriminate against employees or applicants because of their race, gender, gender expression, religion, color, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation. Harassment also includes sexual harassment or unwelcome sexual advances, may they be physical or verbal.
Our sexual harassment attorneys at Mesriani Law Group are dedicated to protecting the rights of employees. With our focus on employment and labor laws, we continue to successfully achieve the best results for our clients and obtain the damages they deserve.
