Six current or former workers with Pierce County’s Facilities Management Department claim to be victims of a deep-rooted culture of racism, discrimination and harassment that allegedly has been condoned by the county.
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The employees, who collectively have more than 80 years of experience, filed a lawsuit in Pierce County Superior Court on Monday, accusing the county of discrimination, negligence and retaliation, court records show.
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“I think, for them, it’s really about effectuating change and ensuring that Pierce County is held accountable and reacts appropriately by ceasing to condone racism and harassment in the workplace, and harassment,” attorney Hollie Connelly, who is representing the plaintiffs, said in an interview.
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Pierce County declined to comment on the allegations, citing its practice of generally not publicly addressing pending litigation.
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The lawsuit claimed that open hostility toward minorities is commonplace in the department and has gone unaddressed by managers. Plaintiffs have allegedly been called racial slurs, told they weren’t welcome or compared to animals.
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One worker, an Asian-American man, had been subjected to racial stereotypes in front of supervisors, including having his stomach rubbed without consent and being asked if he was eating dogs for lunch, according to a tort claim filed with the county in September. A tort claim, which is a claim for damages, is a precursor to a lawsuit.
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Another employee, a Mexican-American man, was asked what Mexicans ate for Thanksgiving, the tort claim said. A third worker, a Black man, had allegedly been denied requests for proper footwear and gloves to shovel snow at Remann Hall, despite white employees being given a boot allowance.
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Meanwhile, the plaintiffs’ complaints were swept under the rug, according to the lawsuit. When workers did formally complain, they were allegedly retaliated against by the county, which changed their roles and responsibilities, made up concerns about them, publicly disparaged them and tried to oust them from their jobs, the suit said.
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White colleagues were allegedly treated differently. Non-minority workers’ complaints led to investigations, Connelly said. White employees also were routinely chosen for promotions over the plaintiffs and paid more, according to the lawsuit.
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The Facilities Management Department is responsible for maintaining county-owned facilities; oversight of real estate purchases, sales and leases; and managing new construction and significant remodeling projects, among other things, according to the county’s website. There are currently 83 budgeted positions in the department, county spokeswoman Libby Catalinich said in an email.
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Four of the plaintiffs remain employed by the county, according to the tort claim. One was fired after an allegedly “biased investigation” into sexual harassment allegations and another was “constructively discharged,” meaning he felt forced to quit due to poor working conditions, the filing said.
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Connelly said the plaintiffs hope through legal action to create positive workplace conditions for the next line of employees.
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“For many years, as Plaintiffs suffered silently through the severe and pervasive racial hostility in the workplace, Defendant Pierce County leadership condoned and participated in the racial-based hostilities and failed to protect them,” the lawsuit stated.
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Plaintiffs had sought $1.5 million to $2.5 million damages each in the tort claim. The lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages to be proven at trial, legal fees and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
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Shea Johnson joined The News Tribune in 2022. He previously covered city and county governments in Las Vegas and Southern California. His work has been recognized by the National Headliner Awards and numerous times by the California News Publishers Association, including as a finalist for investigative reporting. He earned his bachelor's degree from Cal State San Bernardino.
