Former deputy sues California sheriff’s department for sexual harassment

A former Deputy for the Merced County Sherriff’s Department for sexual harassment and discrimination, alleging he was fired because he is gay in 2011.

Richard Olguin’s began working for the agency in 2008 and says that he was subjected to workplace abuses which escalated to vandalism of his personal property in 2009. Some of his property was defaced with the words homo. He stated that his vehicle was vandalized while parked at his home.

In another incident, Olguin requested assignment to the mounted unit and overheard a fellow officer saying, “There’s no way he is getting the mounted unit, this is the same guy that was flight attendant before working here, right?” The officer continued to laughter of other deputies, “Yeah, allow gay marriage so Olguin can marry a horse.”

Sexual harassment and discrimination should not be tolerated in any workplace because of the hostility it creates. When people are repeatedly subjected to this abuse, they can retain a California sexual harassment attorney to halt the behavior.

Olguin was denied training opportunities and was fired after filing a complaint with the Merced County Sherriff’s Department.

Olguin’s sexual harassment lawyer is seeking $5 million in damages for lost wages, emotional distress and other issue that arose out of the harassment.

He described his time with the agency as “hellish.”

Federal laws are intended to prevent sexual harassment and discrimination, but despite this many people are subjected to this hostility. If complaints are ignored by an employer, the victim may have no other recourse than to hire a sexual harassment lawyer to file a lawsuit.