Jury Orders Beverly Hills to Pay $1 Million in Discrimination Suit

A jury today ordered the city of Beverly Hills to pay $1 million to a parking control officer after finding that she experienced retaliation for complaining about workplace conditions, but the panel rejected her racial discrimination and harassment claims.

The Los Angeles Superior Court jury deliberated for about a day before reaching its verdict in the lawsuit brought by 38-year-old Elisa Lopez, who filed her lawsuit against the city and a supervisor, Gregory Routt, in June 2013.

“The city stereotyped her as a gang member from the barrio,” plaintiff’s attorney William Bloch said in his final argument Tuesday. “They told her, ‘You can complain and we’re going to keep doing it until you quit or break down.”’

Lopez testified that she joined the city as a parking enforcement officer in 2001 and worked full-time while carrying a full load of classes at UCLA. She said she received a promotion in 2004 and that Routt remained her boss until she was given a supervisor’s job in 2011. She was demoted the same year.

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According to Lopez, Routt treated her different than other swing-shift employees who were not Latinos. She testified that Routt’s attitudes toward Latinos was exemplified in his Internet site called illegalaliennewsupdate.com, which she said offended her as the daughter of an undocumented father.

She also said Routt talked about joining the Minutemen Project, an activist organization that patrolled the U.S.-Mexican border several years ago, and that he called her an “anchor baby.”

Lopez maintained she suffered a backlash from the city after she complained about Routt’s treatment of her. She said she was denied promotions and subjected to other adverse employment conditions.

Attorneys for the city maintained that Lopez was demoted after a brief time as a supervisor because of her inability to work well with subordinates, a view supported during the trial by several defense witnesses. They denied any discrimination, retaliation or harassment occurred.

The jury cleared Routt of any wrongdoing.

Bloch said Lopez wants to continue at her job despite having to work in the same environment as some of the fellow employees who testified against her. Bloch said conditions were much worse for her a few years ago.

“She’s the little engine that could,” he said.

Bloch said Lopez is entitled to attorneys’ fees under law. He said he also will seek compensation from the city for costs associated with the trial, including deposition expenses.

Bloch additionally said that another hearing will be held later to consider various issues that need to be resolved by a judge rather than a jury.

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City News Service

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