Wrongful Termination Trial Hinges On Sex Scandal

A sex scandal that raced through the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District is slated for a rehash during a wrongful termination civil suit. The captain of the force alleges he was fired for reporting misconduct, including multiple on-the-job sexual acts. The man had also advocated for criminal investigations into sodomy and rape, among others crimes.

The district, instead, argues the 45-year-old man was fired because he illegally altered computer records pertaining to the force. The captain was allegedly caught up in the illegal activity after he attempted to save a district board member from embarrassment. Attorneys for the plaintiff say that statement is simply pretext, designed to detract jurors and others from the main issues of the case.

Official reports show arbitration reinstated the man to his former position in late 2008 after he was fired in March 2007. The arbitrator in that case ruled the district did not demonstrate sufficient cause for dismissing the force’s captain.

One of the more salacious aspects of the scandal was a call from a woman who reported being forced out of her job after she had sex at work with many male members of the department. That woman was sometimes forced into the activities against her will, she said. The woman contacted the plaintiff to describe the sensitive incidents. Most of the transcripts have been sealed to protect the individuals named in the documents. Only relevant excerpts will be permitted at trial. The district later paid the woman more than a half-million dollars to settle the claim.

The man subsequently complained to higher-ups that a criminal investigation had never occurred, but nothing ever happened. In addition, no one implicated in the scandal was fired other than the man who reported the problems.

If you have been forced out of your job for choosing to make an ethical decision, consider hiring a qualified employment attorney. These professionals can help you get the money you deserve after you have been mistreated by your employers.

Source: www.sacbee.com, “Sac Metro sex scandal is backdrop for wrongful-termination trial” Denny Walsh, Jun. 10, 2013