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$640,000
sexual harassment
A corrections
officer sexually harassed a series of county
employees through his position at the Whatcom
County jail. Each initially thought they were
the only victim, but eventually they began to
talk to each other, realize that each was not
alone, and then held a meeting at the home of
one victim. They hired Brett & Coats to
bring a sexual harassment claim with the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The
EECO invited the parties to participate in
informal means of conciliation. The employees
entered mediation with the county. Five cases
settled and two more serious claims required the
filing of a lawsuit. After extensive discovery
the entire claim was settled for a combined
total settlement of $640,000, with individual
settlements of $100,000, $100,000, $40,000,
$100,000, $25,000, $25,000, and $250,000. The
claim is Johnston v Whatcom County, United
States District Court, Western District of
Washington, at Seattle, cause number
CV04-0626RSM. Victims were represented by Breean
Beggs and Dean Brett of Bellingham's Brett & Coats.
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