Filner Says San Diego Responsible for Sexual Harassment Suit


Center for American Progress Action Fund/Flickr CC

  Shamed San Diego Mayor Bob Filner is taking a leave of absence after the city council denied him in a 9-0 vote to pay his legal fees.  A law suit has been filed against the mayor his former communications manager, who claims that he asked her to come to work without wearing panties.  Filner’s lawyer Harvey Berger argued that Filner never received the state mandated sexual harassment training while he was serving as a congressman from 1993 to 2012.  While the lawsuit is the only recent evidence of sexual harassment from Bob Filner, several other women have come forward to say they were also treated inappropriately by the politician.

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  Sexual harassment is banned as discrimination by title seven of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  The law applies to any organization with 15 or more employees, as well as any government office.  Defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, sexual harassment can create intimidating or hostile work environments.  The harasser and victim can be of either gender and hold any position in the work place, including nonemployees.  The harassment does not have to have a financial impact on the victim for it to be unlawful.

  Berger says that Filner likely would not be facing a lawsuit now if he had received the training he was supposed to.  The sexual harassment training had been scheduled but canceled and had never been able to attend another class.  The letter from Filner’s lawyer also said that in his experience there is a good reason to make sure people receive the training, as many do not understand what sexual harassment is or how it can be harmful.  The city of San Diego, however, disagreed that it was liable and in addition to refusing covering costs for defense, also filed suit against Filner for damages to the city if he loses the sexual harassment suit.  The city has a zero tolerance policy on sexual harassment, and most of the city council has called for Filner’s resignation.

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