Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
Last week a Federal jury ruled against a Kentucky paramedic in a sexual harassment case against her former employer. Kristina Frederick was terminated by the Oldham County Ambulance Taxing District in 2008 shortly after the resignation of her former boss, Lance Vincent, who was the alleged harasser. Vincent was the EMS Director for Oldham County.
Frederick’s suit alleged that she had to sleep with Vincent in order to be hired. In an earlier ruling the court stated “This case presents some difficult questions arising from a bizarre and pervasive sexual atmosphere in the OCEMS workplace.” The sordid details of what took place in Oldham County were described by the court:
Sexual conduct was discussed openly. Several employees carried on sexual relationships with each other, including supervisors with their subordinates. Vincent, for example, admits having sex with two subordinates — Frederick and Assistant Director Terry Stock — at different times. He told them and others about a previous relationship he had with a subordinate at a different job. Vincent kept pornography on his work computer, and showed sexually explicit material to other employees, including nude or partially nude pictures of his wife, who he involved in some of his affairs. … He touched female employees in sexual ways while they were on duty, including by pulling them into his lap and swatting them on their bottoms. … He made comments about their breasts and asked them about their sexual preferences and experiences. (Id.) He discussed his outside-of-work sexual activities with subordinates and employees, including his involvement in a swinger’s club where couples went to have sex with other couples. … He used his work computer to visit the web sites of private sex clubs.
The court’s decision issued September 2, 2010 explains more of the factual basis for the case.
According to the EMS District’s attorney, Ed Stopher, “The truth is, she had sex with him because she wanted to.” Apparently the jury agreed with Stopher’s contention last week in ruling in favor of the district.
