Photo: Devonyu / iStock / Getty Images
LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A parole administrator for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation alleges in a new lawsuit that she was retaliated against and denied promotions for complaining about gender discrimination as well as false internal rumors spread about her, including that she was having an affair with her supervisor.
Gabriella Aguilera's Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit against the state of California alleges retaliation, gender harassment and discrimination and failure to prevent discrimination and harassment. She seeks unspecified damages in the suit brought Thursday.
A CDCR representative said Monday the agency does not comment on pending litigation.
Aguilera was hired by the CDCR in 1997 and three years later was transferred to the department's Division of Adult Parole Operations as a parole agent. She was named an acting chief deputy administrator for DAPO's headquarters in September 2020.
Two months later, an anonymous email was sent to about nine high- ranking DAPO managers falsely alleging that Aguilera was having an affair with her supervisor, according to the suit, which further states the department later determined her allegation was "so baseless as to not even warrant a full investigation."
In January 2023, multiple emails were sent to about 10 top management members that appeared to be addressed to Aguilera's supervisor and said, `Its common knowledge within certain CDCR circles that you and Gabriella have been having an affair for years and she is a regional parole administrator, compliments of you," the suit alleges.
The department did not warn employees that they could be disciplined for sending false and derogatory emails about other workers, nor did management tell those who received the communications that there was no evidence to support the allegations about Aguilera and her boss, the suit states.
During the time the emails were sent out, the DAPO held a promotional selection process to fill the job of regional parole administrator for the southern region, a position that Aguilera held in an acting capacity for two months in 2022, according to the suit, which further states she was denied the upgrade even though she had the highest written examination score.
Aguilera sent an email to the state Senate Rules Committee protesting the aforementioned emails, as well as two more circulated in April 2023, and the plaintiff believes she was denied promotion to acting deputy director in her division because of her complaint to the committee, the suit states.
Last September, Aguilera was transferred to another position that was effectively a demotion and two months later she was reassigned yet again to another position that required a longer drive from her home, a punishment known as "freeway therapy," the suit states.
The CDCR's alleged harassment and retaliation against Aguilera have severely damaged her professional reputation, caused her significant physical and emotional distress and have hurt her ability to get promotions, the suit states.