Puerto Rico Police Department Employment Discrimination Claim Settled with U.S. Department of Justice
On January 30th, 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) reached an agreement with the Puerto Rico Police Department (“PRPD”) resolving a claim that the PRPD engaged in unlawful employment discrimination and workplace retaliation based on gender. The complaint, which was filed in March 2008, alleged that the PRPD engaged in discriminatory practices toward Officer Jeannette Carballo Lopez on the basis of her sex. According to the DOJ, the PRPD required Lopez to perform secretarial tasks that were not required of male officers, and the PRPD subjected Lopez to discriminatory remarks. Lopez was told that the Division of Investigation of Stolen Vehicles, which she was working for, was "not for females." Furthermore, the PRPD engaged in retaliation toward Lopez because she opposed employment practices that she reasonably believed to be unlawful, and because she filed a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under Title VII. Under the terms of the agreement, the PRPD will pay Lopez $125,000, including attorney’s fees, and will reinstate her to an agent-investigator position.
This case presents most unfortunate circumstances because it involves a government agency engaged in gender discrimination and workplace retaliation. Though just a territory of the United States, Puerto Rico still must answer to the DOJ, and it is troubling that the Puerto Rican Police Department would engage in gender discrimination. As a law enforcement agency, we expect the PRPD to set a positive example in the workplace. Though the case did not go to trial, and thus no form of punitive damages were imposed on the PRPD, it is hopeful that this will deter similar conduct in the future so both men and women can feel comfortable working in an environment free of employment discrimination.
