On November 2, 2020, Brenda Nix, a Los Angeles police officer, filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles. Nix joined the LAPD in 2002 and alleges was subject to a hostile work environment beginning in February 2017 to present day. The lawsuit details various instances of blatant gender discrimination experienced by Nix and the force’s failure to address them.
A Culture of Discrimination
Nix argues that she was surrounded by LAPD members who would expressly use demeaning and derogatory terms towards women. Nix alleges that her “two supervisors, both sergeants, knew there was an alleged hostile work environment for women, but did not correct the behavior.”[1] Instead, Nix claims, one of those officer’s asked her to join the Homeless Outreach Proactive Engagement Unit (HOPE). The suit alleges that during her time with the team tasked with homelessness, Nix was “regularly subjected to an environment that degraded, belittled and objectified women.”1
The lawsuit alleges that despite Nix’s high ranking positon, many of her male co-workers “refused to take commands from a female.”1 On February 2019, Nix states she and her partner tried to “clean up an area of about 40 to 50 homeless people”1 but did not receive any assistance. Nix recounts an incident, on April 2017, where she was directly objectified herself when one of Nix’s supervisors invited Nix to accompany him on a trip to Los Vegas then asked her to dye her hair blonde given his preference.
Nix Ousted and Ignored
Nix complained to the HR department but a report was never written nor filed. Nix eventually asked to transfer out of her coveted position on the HOPE team due the stress of her hostile work environment. The suit alleges Nix, “has suffered both general and special damages that continue to the present.”[2]
Sexual harassment should never be taken lightly or ignored. If your workplace has failed to provide a safe work environment for yourself or a loved one, do not hesitate to get in contact with our firm.
Consult with an Accomplished Sexual Harassment Law Firm in California
If you or a loved one has been a victim of sexual harassment at the workplace in any form (now or in the past), you can receive the best legal advice from highly skilled sexual harassment attorneys at Makarem & Associates in California. Call 310-312-0299 today or email at [email protected].
[1] https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/female-lapd-officer-details-sexual-harassment-toxic-work-environment-in-lawsuit/2456815/
[2] https://www.legalreader.com/female-lapd-officer-sues-city-over-sexual-harassment-retaliation-allegations/
