SHERIFF'S OFFICE SETTLES SEXUAL HARASSMENT CASE
A sexual
harassment complaint against a top aide to Orange County Sheriff Kevin
Beary has ended with a $190,000 settlement.
Martha
Passiatore, a bookkeeper who resigned in late January, received a cash
payment March 5 when she agreed to end her federal sexual harassment
lawsuit, according to legal papers. Passiatore accused her boss,
Comptroller Brad Hurd, of sexual harassment and damaging her career for
rejecting his advances.
The
settlement, the largest during Beary's six years in office and first for
sexual harassment, stipulated that neither side criticize the other. The
settlement is not an admission of fault. "This was in the best interests
of both parties," Sheriff's Commander Steve Jones said. Passiatore
declined comment. Her husband, Assistant Orange County Attorney Joseph
L. Passiatore, was a party in the lawsuit but could not be reached.
Passiatore
alleged that Hurd began to sexually harass her after she was hired in
1988 as the agency's chief payroll officer. In 1993, the agency
suspended Hurd for 40 hours after finding he made inappropriate sexual
remarks to Passiatore and created a hostile work environment, according
to the lawsuit and Sheriff's records.
Hurd was on
vacation and could not be reached.
Passiatore
filed a second complaint in 1995, claiming Hurd retaliated by demoting
her and cutting her pay by $12,000 to $36,600 a year. She claimed in
legal papers that she suffered from "depression, insomnia, anxiety and
stress" as a result of her treatment.
The
settlement provided Passiatore $22,000 in back wages, $10,000 for loss
of reputation and $158,000 to cover legal costs and medical bills. The
Sheriff's office also agreed to pay mediator costs of $2,000. In
addition, Passiatore received administrative leave pay and unused
vacation and sick time totaling about $4,000.
