Archives for May 2021

May 12, 2021 by

Vegas Police Officer Loses Law Enforcement Career over Gamble with Department Resources

By Jim Cline and Troy Thornton

Arbitrator Kenneth J. Latsch found that the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department had just cause to terminate Officer Raymond Cuevas for accessing the department database in furtherance of a romantic relationship. The termination occurred after the Department sustained “conduct unbecoming an officer” charges against Cuevas when he accessed the Department’s database to locate the address of a former romantic interests’ new boyfriend who  he then confronted at the discovered address.

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Filed Under: Arbitration Rulings, Contract Interpretation
May 12, 2021 by

Illinois Court Holds Inconsistent Discipline Standards can be a Basis for Race Discrimination Lawsuit

By Mark Anderson and Katrina Thornton

In Levy v. Wilkie, an Illinois court of appeals ordered a trial of an African American police officer’s race discrimination lawsuit.  Levy worked as a police officer at the Hines VA Hospital.   The court found that inconsistent discipline practices raised a jury question on whether Levy had been subject to racial discrimination.

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Filed Under: Discrimination, Race Discrimination
May 7, 2021 by

Federal Court in Illinois Throws Out Black Probation Officer’s Race Discrimination and Union Retaliation Claim Based on Denial of His Request for a Schedule Change

By Mark Anderson and Katrina Thornton

In Smith v. Cook County, an Illinois court dismissed an African American probation officer’s lawsuit claiming the County denied his request for an adjusted schedule because of his race and active participation in his labor union. The court dismissed Officer Jason Smith’s lawsuit,  finding that neither Smith’s race nor his union activity was the basis for the employer’s denial of his request to adjust his schedule.

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Filed Under: Discrimination
May 7, 2021 by

Philadelphia Police Tow Trucker Driver’s Prayers Answered as Court Holds Department May Have Discriminated Against Him

By Mark Anderson and Katrina Thornton

In Bonilla v. City of Philadelphia, a Philadelphia court denied the City of Philadelphia’s request to throw out  a Christian tow truck driver’s lawsuit claiming that he had been discriminated against because of his faith. The court held the Department may have created an offensive work environment based on the driver’s religious beliefs.

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Filed Under: Discipline, Discrimination
May 5, 2021 by

Philadelphia cop can’t claim that management retaliated by failing to stop coworkers from creating a hostile work environment

By Mark Anderson and Beth Touschner

In Anselmo v. City of Philadelphia, a city police officer brought a lawsuit against her employer alleging she was retaliated against by coworkers after she reported gender discrimination. Specifically, Anselmo claimed, after she reported discrimination she was ostracized, lost friends at work, was not invited to social gatherings, coworkers would not sit near her, she was excluded when lunch was ordered, and one of her coworkers called her a rat. The court rejected her retaliation claim because Anselmo failed to show that the employer knew of the harassment and failed to stop it. Indeed, the court noted, Anselmo admitted she had not reported her allegations to anyone and had simply withdrawn.  

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Filed Under: Disability Discrimination, Discrimination, Gender/Pregnancy Discrimination