An ex-employee is suing the Metropolis of Denver over claims he was discriminated towards and later fired in retaliation for reporting an assistant supervisor who allegedly harassed him about faith at a vacation social gathering.
Lakewood resident Austin Ray is in search of an unspecified amount of cash for financial damages and compensation for ache and struggling, in accordance with a civil rights lawsuit filed in U.S. District Courtroom in Denver final month.
Ray, an atheist, was employed by Denver’s Division of Transportation and Infrastructure in October 2023, his lawyer David Meretta with the Littleton agency Miller & Legislation wrote within the criticism.
At a vacation social gathering on Dec. 22, 2023, an assistant supervisor repeatedly requested Ray questions on Christmas and insisted he reply whether or not he believes in God. Ray’s supervisor, who was current, didn’t intervene within the encounter.
Ray reported the incident to human sources and one other supervisor a number of occasions and was “led to consider that measures to appropriate the discriminatory misconduct have been underway,” in accordance with the lawsuit.
However Ray’s supervisor began retaliating towards him by altering his job duties, making him do meaningless duties and isolating and alienating him throughout the division. He was fired on March 15, three months after the vacation social gathering, with none write-ups, efficiency enchancment plans or self-discipline.
Ray later filed a discrimination and retaliation declare with the U.S. Equal Employment Alternative Fee and was given a proper to sue discover in October.
In a courtroom submitting responding to Ray’s lawsuit, attorneys for town denied the allegations and claimed town can’t be held chargeable for illegal acts by staff as a result of town tried to forestall and proper discriminatory or retaliatory habits.
“(Ray’s) damages, if any, are the results of (his) personal conduct,” attorneys for town wrote within the Feb. 18 response.
A spokesperson for town lawyer’s workplace couldn’t instantly be reached for remark.
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