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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A female former dispatcher for Allied Universal Security Services is suing her ex-employer, alleging she was forced to resign in 2023 for sexual harassment that began with her finding a lipstick in her locker that was molded in the shape of a mans private parts.
Judith Nava Lua's Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit alleges constructive termination, harassment, retaliation, failure to prevent harassment and/or retaliation, civil rights violations and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Lua seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
An Allied Universal representative did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the suit.
Lua, 31, was hired last May 25 as a dispatcher at $22 per hour. During her time with the firm, the three individuals who supervised her "showed little concern for preventing sexual harassment in the workplace," the suit alleges.
On June 14, 2023, Lua found a lipstick in her locker that was molded into an "inappropriate and offensive" mold of a man's private parts and its sexually suggestive shape was "clearly intended to make her uncomfortable," the suit alleges.
Lua reported the lipstick finding to two of her bosses, who assured her that they would bring the matter to the attention of the account manager, who later that day asked the plaintiff to come to his office, the suit states.
After Lua showed the account manager how she found the lipstick, he began making dismissive and insensitive comments, including, "In my five years of working here, this has never happened to any woman" while adding, "There is no reason for anyone to put this there at all. I don't think anyone would put this in there; it's impossible that this is what happened here."
The account manager also said there were no previous complaints about employees stealing from lockers or placing items inside of them, implying that Lua was at fault, the suit states.
Lua, surprised by the account manager's attitude, told him that just because something had not occurred before did not mean it was impossible for it to happen, the suit states. The account manager said he was through talking about the issue, warned her she could be accused of insubordination and threatened to call the police to investigate whether Lua staged the incident, the suit states.
Lua, left "bewildered and distressed" by the account manager's reaction, broke down in tears, the suit states.
Lua subsequently experienced a noticeable change in her treatment by the account manager, who would summon her into his office after her shift was over and require her to say another three hours, where he would harass her about the lipstick matter and her future with the company, the suit states.
The firm's operations manager later put Lua on unpaid leave and said she would not be returned to work until her claims were investigated, but not hearing from the company for two weeks, Lua turned in a resignation letter on July 23, the suit states.
"I had hoped my concerns would be addressed more effectively, but it seems the situation is not getting any better," Lua wrote, according to the lawsuit. "Please send me my final paycheck."
Lua has experienced a downturn in her emotional well-being since being forced to quit, the suit states.