City Employee Harassed

Somerset, MA: (Apr-11-08) Kim Pelletier, a former highway department worker, brought a lawsuit against the town of Somerset, alleging that she faced sexual harassment and discrimination, while on the job. Pelletier was the first female worker in the department who began to object to her work assignments and the fact that she was not allowed to drive a new truck. She filed complaints about the mistreatment, but stated that her claims were rejected by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the Division of Industrial Accidents and the Bristol County Retirement Board. Her suit reached Superior Court, with added allegations of widespread pornography and inappropriate behavior at the department. Sources stated that the accusations resulted in the departure of longtime Somerset Town Administrator John McAuliffe and contributed to the defeat of then-Board of Selectmen Chairman Patrick O'Neil.

In December 2007, an initial jury award of $2.16 million was commissioned to Pelletier, but was shot down by Superior Court Judge Richard T. Moses, who stated that the award was excessive and greatly disproportionate to any injury proven. Moses decreed that Pelletier could chose between $300,000 and a new trial. Pelletier appealed that decision. In a recent development in the case, Kim Pelletier agreed to resolve the lawsuit with a $600,000 settlement. [THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL: FORMER TOWN WORKER AGREES TO SETTLEMENT]

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Published on Apr-15-08