A former employee of University of Wisconsin?s Walnut Street Heating Plant filed a sexual harassment lawsuit earlier this month against three of the plant?s supervisors and the UW System Board of Regents.
Amy Gabel filed the lawsuit against power plant supervisor Gary Guitzkow and assistant power plant supervisors John Loescher and Paul Offendahl, claiming she suffered sexual harassment and retaliation for reporting the harassment.
According to Peter Fox, Gabel?s attorney, the UW System is named as a defendant because it can be held liable for the actions of its employees. Gabel said UW was aware of the harassment but made no effort to stop it.
UW spokesperson Brian Mattmiller said Gabel filed an initial complaint with UW?s Office of Equity and Diversity July 16, 2006 but did not cooperate with UW?s efforts to investigate the situation.
?After repeated requests by OED, neither [Gabel] nor her attorney responded back with additional information,? Mattmiller said in an e-mail to The Badger Herald. ?Therefore, no internal investigation could be conducted.?
According to the lawsuit, when Gabel was hired in June 2004 as the only female employee at the plant, she was forced to share bathroom and locker room facilities with the male employees for almost two years until female facilities were built.
In addition, Gabel’s lawsuit says Loescher made unwelcome sexual advances toward her and asked her to have sex with him. When she rejected his advances, Loescher allegedly subjected Gabel to unwarranted disciplinary actions that were not imposed on male co-workers.
According to Gabel, Offendahl and Guitzkow became aware of the harassment by Loescher and the other male employees but did nothing to stop it.
Gabel first filed a discrimination complaint with the Wisconsin Equal Rights Division July 31, 2006. According to Gabel, harassment from co-workers worsened after she reported the discrimination. Gabel filed a second discrimination complaint Dec. 18, 2006 and a third Feb. 14, 2007. The Equal Rights Division found probable cause for a complaint in all three cases.
UW transferred Gabel to another position July 9, 2007, but she found this transfer undesirable. When she refused the transfer, UW placed her on administrative leave, and Gabel quit her job a week later.
?Miss Gabel suffered significant loss with respect to her employment and suffered greatly emotionally,? Fox said. ?I hope Miss Gabel receives her justice.?
Gabel is seeking punitive damages against each of the defendants, including the UW Board of Regents, and an order finding that each of the defendants violated her rights under the Equal Protection clause.
Mattmiller said UW cannot comment on the case while it is pending. But he added UW will be obligated to draft a written response within 20 days of being officially served with the lawsuit.
Fox said he was optimistic about the case.
?Miss Gabel has very viable causes of action,? Fox said. ?I hope this is a process that allows her to have her day.?
