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Friday, November 20, 2009
Ex-Aide Files Suit Against Transit Director
By Dan McKay
Journal Staff Writer
A former aide to Transit Director Greg Payne has filed a lawsuit accusing him of making derogatory comments about women and expecting her to do personal errands for him, although two agencies that looked into the complaints dismissed them.
In the lawsuit, plaintiff Jennifer Zimmer says Payne asked her for sex, then treated her unfairly when she refused.
The state Human Rights Division looked into Zimmer's allegations and dismissed the complaint. It said there was "no probable cause" to believe discrimination occurred, according to documents released by the city.
In a letter to Zimmer, the division said the city "provided e-mails that show you continued to communicate with the director after (resigning). Communications between you and the director are friendly, and there is no evidence that he discusses sexual matters with you."
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission adopted the state findings and dismissed the case, too.
Payne said in a statement to the Journal: "I don't comment on garbage, and since the EEOC and HRD already dismissed this complaint for that reason, I'll let them speak for me."
Zimmer's 15-page lawsuit, filed in July, said she was hired in June 2006 and saw firsthand how Payne treated employees. He described women in explicit terms, discussed his romantic relationships with subordinate employees and asked the plaintiff for sex, according to the lawsuit. She resigned after about a year with the city.
The Journal was unable to reach Zimmer's attorneys.
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