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Retaliation on the Job: Puerto Rico Police Department Sued for Sex Bias
The federal government filed a lawsuit against the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) alleging the law enforcement agency retaliated against a female agent for complaining about a hostile work environment.
Agent Investigator Sofía Figueroa Rossy (Figueroa) filed a complaint with her superiors about sexual harassment, but the PRPD allegedly failed to keep her complaint confidential, transferred her out of the Sex Crimes Division, and refused to take action on her appeal.
All workers have the right to go to work each day without fear of discrimination or retaliation, said Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez of the Civil Rights Division. Public employers should set an example for others by upholding the law and taking prompt and effective action to stop discrimination and retaliation.
The Justice Department is seeking an order from the court that the PRPD take remedial steps to ensure a non-retaliatory workplace for its employees, including supplementing its mandatory training for all supervisors regarding sex discrimination and retaliation under Title VII, and providing Figueroa with make-whole remedial relief.
The San Juan Local Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigated and attempted to resolve Figueroa’s charge of discrimination before referring it to the federal government for litigation.
The enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/ and www.justice.gov/crt/emp/.
The lawsuit was filed after the PRPD allegedly failed to take action on Figueroa’s appeal of the involuntary transfer, further alleging that the agency’s actions resulted in mental and/or physical injuries to Figueroa.
Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Sex Crimes|Public Corruption|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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