Social Worker 'Tormented' For Being A White Catholic Woman In Somerset County: Lawsuit

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — A former employee is suing the Somerset County Board of Social Services, claiming she was subject to a "hostile work environment" based upon on her race and gender.

Jennifer Sempervive filed a lawsuit in the Somerset County Superior Court on Monday.

Sempervive said she was first hired as a Human Services Specialist in the Franklin Office where most of her supervisors and employees were African American or Latina.

She claims that immediately after starting work, employees would call her derogatory names, including "white b**ch" or "white s**t" on a daily basis. She also claims she was called a "gringo."

Some employees also made derogatory comments about her race and gender while speaking in Spanish, according to the lawsuit.

Sempervive claims she made formal complaints to her supervisors yet no remedial action was taken.

After about two years of being "tormented" in the workplace, Sempervive said she was transferred to the Someville office where "harassment and hostility" continued.

Sempervive, who is a Roman Catholic and prays regularly at work, said she was "ridiculed on almost a daily basis about her religion" while at the Somerville office.

The lawsuit claims that other employees would make comments to Sempervive saying "there she goes praying again."

"Throughout her employment, [Sempervive] was singled out for various alleged infractions pertaining to breaks and time sheets while other employees were not subject to the same scrutiny and harassment," according to the lawsuit.

Examples included being written up for going to lunch at 12:33 p.m. instead of 12:30 p.m.

"Due to stress at work, and the disparate treatment and discrimination she was subjected to, [Sempervive] was forced to go out on leave due to extreme anxiety," according to the lawsuit. "[Sempervive] suffered much anxiety, and even heart issues as a result of continued, ongoing pattern of abuse and discrimination at the hands of the Defendants."

In 2021, Sempervive fell and was injured at work and filed for workers compensation.

In January 2023, the employer told her to return to work by Jan. 17, 2023. However, the lawsuit claims there was a dispute and confusion about whether Sempervive was cleared to return to work. As a result she didn't return to work and was terminated.

In March 2023, an appeals hearing found her employment was deemed terminated.

In the lawsuit, Sempervive claims she experienced "continued harassment" as her employer failed to give accurate information to COBRA and canceled her health insurance in March 2023. She also claims she was not compensated for unused sick and vacation time in 2021 and 2022.

Sempervive is seeking compensatory damages for economic loss, pain and suffering, attorney fees, and other damages.

A request for comment from Somerset County officials about the lawsuit was not immediately returned to Patch.

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