DOROTHY A. ABBAS, Complainant,

and

IOWA CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION

vs.

CITY OF HAMPTON, Respondent.

 

DECISION AND ORDER

IT IS ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that:

A. Complainant Dorothy A. Abbas and (through her complaint) the Iowa Civil Rights Commission are entitled to judgment because they have proven retaliation, in violation of Iowa Code section 601A.11, by Respondent City of Hampton through repeated threats by her supervisor to sue Abbas for what she said in the complaint; through her supervisor refusing to speak with her or provide her with information required to do her work; through decreasing her work assignments; through increased scrutiny of her work; and through the reduction of her position from a full-time to part-time status; and through the creation, by these acts, of a hostile, retaliatory working environment.

B. Complainant Abbas shall be reinstated to a full-time, 40 hour per week, position as secretary in the city clerk's office with the salary, medical and disability insurance, and all other benefits currently received by full- time employees of the City of Hampton. Front pay in an amount equal to the difference between her half-time salary and benefits and those of a full-time position of secretary, including an amount equal to that currently expended by the City of Hampton for medical insurance and other full-time benefits, is awarded effective as of the date of the final decision and order in this case. This front pay shall continue until such date as Complainant Abbas' full-time reinstatement is in effect.

C. Complainant Abbas is entitled to a judgment of sixty-three thousand seven hundred seventy-five dollars and sixty-three cents ($63775.63) in back pay, including benefits, for the loss resulting from the reduction of her position to part-time at Respondent City of Hampton.

D. Complainant Abbas is entitled to a judgment of fifty thousand dollars and zero cents ($50000.00) in compensatory damages for the emotional distress she sustained as a result of the retaliation she was subjected to by Respondent.

E. Interest at the rate of ten percent per annum shall be paid by the Respondent to Complainant Abbas on her award of back pay commencing on the date payment would have been made if Complainant had remained in her full-time employment with Respondent and continuing until date of payment.

F. Interest at the rate of ten percent per annum shall be paid by the Respondent to Complainant Abbas on the above award of emotional distress damages commencing on the date this decision becomes final, either by Commission decision or by operation of law, and continuing until date of payment.

G. Respondent City of Hampton shall post, within 60 days of the date of this order, in conspicuous places in its city hall at Hampton, Iowa, in areas readily accessible to and frequented by employees, at least two copies of the poster, entitled "Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law" which is available from the Commission.

H. Respondent City of Hampton shall file a report with the Commission within 150 calendar days of the date of this order detailing what steps it has taken to comply with paragraphs B through G inclusive of this order.

Signed this the 29th day of December 1992.

 

DONALD W. BOHLKEN

Administrative Law Judge

Iowa Civil Rights Commission

211 E. Maple

Des Moines, Iowa 50319

515-281-4480

Abbas Main