Joseph Saveri Law Firm, LLP Files Two Workplace Discrimination Lawsuits Against Bay Area Air Quality Management District

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Joseph Saveri Law Firm, LLP has filed two workplace discrimination lawsuits in San Francisco Superior Court against the public agency Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD). The plaintiffs in the lawsuits seek recovery of damages for adverse employment actions based on allegations that BAAQMD violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), and California Government Code §§ 12940 et seq. based on race, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, disability and age.

As alleged in the complaints, BAAQMD is a hostile and discriminatory "old boys club" where heterosexual, white men are in charge, while all others are deprived of equal opportunities and treatment—in violation of both state and federal law. BAAQMD has allegedly created such a hostile and systemically discriminatory and racist workplace that both current and former employees have suffered serious health issues due to chronic stress. BAAQMD executives at the highest level allegedly discriminate against non-heterosexual, non-white men. Such behavior is not only tolerated—it is rewarded.

Plaintiffs allege that they were terminated from BAAQMD on account of their opposition to discriminatory practices. During their employment tenures, they experienced and observed a white, male-dominated workplace permeated with degrading, marginalizing, discriminatory, and sexually harassing conduct towards people of color, women, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. When they witnessed such injustice, they advocated for themselves and others out of a commitment to the betterment of the public agency entrusted with protecting the health and welfare of our community, hoping they could be a vehicle for change. Instead, they were constructively demoted, reprimanded, unfairly treated, and terminated in retaliation.

"The Plaintiffs' battle to make BAAQMD a safe and just place to work came at a high cost—their employment and mental health," said firm partner Steven Williams. "A public entity tasked with protecting the well-being of communities of color who disproportionately suffer from discharges from refineries should not be run by management who display the type of actions described in this complaint."

The cases are Sanders v. BAAQMD (No. CGC-23-608095) and Levels v. BAAQMD (No. CGC-23-608122).

For more information, please contact Steven Williams at 415-260-7909.

ABOUT THE FIRM

The Joseph Saveri Law Firm, LLP is one of the country's most acclaimed, successful boutique firms, specializing in antitrust, class actions, and complex litigation on behalf of national and international consumers, purchasers, and employees across diverse industries. For further information on our practice and accomplishments on behalf of our clients, please visit www.saverilawfirm.com or call us at (415) 500-6800.

SOURCE Joseph Saveri Law Firm LLP