NEWS
By Maria Hsin, maria.hsin@latimes.com | March 6, 2012
The first of several lawsuits filed against Burbank by current and former police officials went to trial this week, with the attorney for an ex-deputy police chief calling what took place in the department one of the most “egregious” cases of mistreatment he's ever seen. In his lawsuit against the city, William Taylor alleges that he was demoted and eventually fired because he informed city officials and former Police Chief Tim Stehr about concerns of discrimination and sexual harassment, and because he pressed for an outside investigation into a burglary that allegedly took place in police headquarters.
NEWS
By Rachel Kane | December 1, 2007
BURBANK — A Los Angeles Superior Court judge decided Wednesday she needed more time to make a ruling on a request from Burbank Unified School District lawyers to strike a sexual harassment lawsuit against the district and its senior director of facilities. Judge Joanne O’Donnell is expected to deliver the ruling in the next 10 to 14 days, said Victor L. George, lawyer for Danielle Baez, the secretary at the district who filed the lawsuit June 1. In response to the sexual harassment suit against the district and director of facilities Craig Jellison, the district’s attorney, Nancy P. Doumanian, filed a motion in late September in Los Angeles County Superior Court to strike the complaint, calling it frivolous.
LOCAL
By Rachel Kane | October 3, 2007
BURBANK — In response to a district administrative secretary’s sexual harassment lawsuit against the Burbank Unified School District and its director of facilities, the district’s attorney has filed a motion in Los Angeles County Superior Court to strike the complaint, calling it frivolous. “The complaint as a whole . . .amounts to a ‘frivolous pleading’ . . . given that the allegations contained therein are totally and completely without merit,” according to the motion, which school district attorney Nancy P. Doumanian filed Friday.
NEWS
By Rachel Kane | June 13, 2007
BURBANK — An administrative secretary on leave from her post at the Burbank Unified School District has filed a lawsuit for an unspecified amount of money against the district, accusing Senior Facilities Director Craig Jellison of sexual harassment. Danielle Baez alleges in her complaint, filed June 1 in Los Angeles Superior Court, that Jellison repeatedly sent her sexually explicit e-mails beginning in December 2005. Baez also alleges that Jellison sexually assaulted her in the district's facilities building in late July 2006, locking her in his office and making unwanted advances.
THE818NOW
February 27, 2013
A former Walt Disney Co. archivist is suing the Burbank company, claiming the entertainment giant fired him in alleged retaliation for reporting sexual harassment in the workplace. Robert Klein , 41, filed an unlawful retaliation suit Monday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, seeking damages in excess of $75,000 for lost wages and benefits. He alleges, in court documents, that he was a casualty in Disney's "attempt to cover up sexual harassment at the company. " "Disney's retaliatory actions have blackballed Klein in the archiving community ... and have destroyed his otherwise impeccable career and reputation," the suit alleges.
NEWS
By: CHARLES J. UNGER | September 24, 2005
Score one for the ladies. Sexual harassment lawsuits are alive and well in California. This is the story of Carol Christopher, Julie Bhend, and Carmella Chamara, who alleged they were harassed by their boss, Thomas Harvey, while working at the National Education Assn. Apparently Harvey spent a good bit of his time physically intimidating female employees, not to mention screaming at them. Fortunately for the women they had an independent witness in that one of the male employees of the company was able to corroborate their claims.
NEWS
February 7, 2012
For various reasons, some local police departments can get into trouble. Burbank is basically working to get an “OK” in regard to its efforts at correcting some problems related to alleged discrimination, sexual harassment and excessive use of force (“Police seek best-practices endorsement to restore public confidence,” Jan. 25). In addition to seeking national accreditation, they are dealing with outside probes and reviews, and there is a cost factor. I think the almighty question is: how did we get involved in this mess?
NEWS
December 9, 2011
It's hard to believe that in this virtuous town we have a problem with the police force (“Judge dismisses lawsuit,” Dec. 7). Is that possible? My first thought when I see a police officer is to ask if help is necessary. Of course they are there to admonish you if your seat belts are not being put to good use and make sure you're not illegally using a cell phone. But there are other issues that we as ordinary people are not aware of, such as the relationships among police officers where race or ethnic background plays a part, or where excessive force against suspects could be a problem.
NEWS
December 12, 2001
Ryan Carter BURBANK -- A trio of city employees suing the city for job discrimination and wrongful termination must amend portions of their claim, a Los Angeles Superior Coury judge has ruled. In his order, issued last week, Judge William Highberger asked attorneys for Tina Staffon, Richard Benson and Beverly Starleaf to amend their claims of age and disability discrimination, job retaliation, gender discrimination, sexual harassment and wrongful discharge.
NEWS
March 31, 2001
Tim Willert CIVIC CENTER -- A city employee alleging sexual harassment has resigned from her job, while two other city workers have jointly filed a discrimination lawsuit against the city of Burbank, according to documents and authorities. Tina Staffon, a senior video production associate in her mid-30s who has worked with the city since November 1987, resigned from her post Thursday, said her private attorney, Bradley Gage. "Because of the hostile work environment and the stress, it got to be too much for Tina," Gage said.