by peter e. bortner
A former Schuylkill County employee has filed a federal lawsuit against the county, alleging she was subject to sexual harassment on the job.
In a 12-page complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court, Pamela Biddle, Pottsville, alleged she lost her job due to retaliation for her complaints about the purported harassment.
"Schuylkill County ... failed to fully, adequately and sufficiently investigate, curb, rectify or control the offensive behavior, discrimination, sexual harassment and hostile environment," the complaint reads in part. "Schuylkill County knew or should have known of the harassing/discriminating/hostile work environment."
Biddle, who worked as a clerk typist in the Tax Claim Bureau, is asking for damages in excess of $150,000 for lost pay, humiliation, medical expenses, pain and suffering, plus interest, punitive damages, attorney fees, costs and interest. She also demanded a jury trial of the case.
In her complaint, Biddle alleged that beginning in April 2008, county employees started to make sexually suggestive gestures toward her. However, when she started to complain in August 2008, that only made matters worse.
"(Biddle) was subject to retaliation for her complaints of sexual harassment and hostile work environment," according to the complaint. "(The county) ... began unreasonably criticizing (her) job performance, threatening her job, fabricating stories about (her) ... and ultimately terminating her on April 8, 2009."
She alleged that she complained to her supervisor, Shelly Morrison, and Assistant Human Resources Director Martina Chwastiak, but that nothing was done about the harassment.
Biddle alleged that as a result, she suffered emotional distress and had to seek medical treatment. She suffered "extreme stress, anxiety, humiliation" and other injuries, the complaint reads in part.
She also said she suffered nonmedical injuries, including lost earnings, benefits, earning potential and professional development, as a result of the harassment.
The county's conduct amounted to gender discrimination against its female employees under both federal and state law, according to the complaint. Her firing also was unlawful retaliation under federal law, according to the complaint.
The county has not yet responded to the lawsuit.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Robert D. Mariani.
