Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Filed Against Massachusetts Tax Collector
A sexual harassment and retaliation claim was filed by Deputy Tax Collector Jacquelynne Williams against the city of Holyoke Massachusetts, claiming she was terminated in retaliation for filing a sexual harassment accusation against Tax Collector Robert F. Kane. The retaliation claim was filed with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, which is analogous to the Illinois Department of Human Rights, where a Illinois Sexual Harassment lawyer would file a similar claim in Illinois.
According to the sexual harassment and retaliation claims Ms. Williams and two other women were sexually harassed but it was Ms. Williams who was the one terminated not her harassor Robert Kane. In Massachusettes as in Illinois many times when a woman files a sexual harassment complaint or complains about sexual harassment she is retaliated against and ultimately her employment is terminated.
According to the newspaper the Republican in her complaint Ms. Williams claimed that Mr. Kane sent her sexually harassing e-mails and made sexual or demeaning verbal comments to her on several occasions in 2006 and 2007 which included demeaning remarks about co-workers, sexually suggestive e-mails, verbal descriptions of suggestive dreams, and comments about other employees.
As part of her damages Ms. Williams claims she had to postpone cervical disc surgery, suffered irreparably as the result of the job termination because she had to sell her house, and experienced constant pain as a result of her failure to have surgery.
Current Law Regarding Sexual Harassment in Illinois
Sexual Harassment in Illinois is brought by filing a charge or claim under the Human Rights Act. The charge or claim is brought by filing with the Illinois Department of Human Rights in either Chicago or Springfield. As of January 1, 2008 a new law was enacted allows for also filing a claim of sexual harassment in state court after first filing with the Illinois Department of Human Rights.
