Discrimination Complaint Settled

While there are still disagreements over the case, Bonnie Lamoreaux and the other county officials agreed to pay a settlement of nearly $60,000 to an employee who made discrimination claims back in 2009. Lamoreaux has openly admitted that the settlement money was simply provided to avoid the litigation process which would have taken quite a while and would have also been very expensive, according to The Ledger.

Lamoreaux says, “I knew from the beginning that they were wrong and I was right,” she said. “It was unfortunate it had to come to this.” As of right now, she is back at her job and has not had to deal with anymore problems, discrimination included.

The documents said that Lamoreaux, who worked as an electrician, was terminated from her job due to the fact that during the employment process, she did not provide criminal background information on herself. She first applied in 2006. During a background check that was performed three years later, in 2009, results showed that Lamoreaux was arrested in 1981 for prostituting and in 1989 for driving while under the influence. She did not speak of these charges in 2006 when she applied for her electrician position.

When she was fired, she decided to sue her place of work for discrimination against the fact that she is a woman and is also a lesbian, which she had openly admitted to the company in 2008. She believes some of her co-workers complained about working alongside of a woman, as electricians are mostly male, although more and more women are beginning to work these jobs as well. The Equal Opportunity Office had a talk with some of the co-workers who Lamoreaux claims made these complaints about working with her, an openly gay woman.

The settlement is less than what Lamoreaux was going for. The entire amount of money that she sued for was not available but she was willing to settle for close to $60,000 when all was said and done. She is also now able to work as an electrician once again and has not had to deal with any discrimination or rude comments about her being a female or about being gay since she filed the lawsuit.

Discrimination against people due to their race, gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation is illegal and people who feel as though they are being discriminated against due to any of these factors should speak with a lawyer and consider filing a lawsuits, especially if these people feel as though they were fired due to the discrimination that has gone on in their place of work. There is no place for discrimination in any work environment and no one should have to put up with such behavior, especially not from their employer or co-workers.