Deerfield Beach Pier Attendant Files Lawsuit Against Boss Who Sexually Harassed Her at Work
Lisa was working at Deerfield Beach Fishing Pier as a pier attendant when her boss, who worked as the public works director, called her into the bathroom one day to check on a broken toilet. When she entered the restroom, Charles DaBrusco, stood in front of the entrance way, blocking her from leaving. He then grabbed her butt and proceeded to lean in for a kiss. Lisa, which is a pseudonym to help keep the victim’s real identity private, claims she turned her head so he could kiss her, but he ended up kissing her on the cheek. After she attempted to leave, the man who weighed nearly 100 pounds more than her, grabbed her arm and uttered the words, “I love black women” [Source: Miami New Times].
Lisa reported the incident to a fellow pier attendant who also confirmed the story to investigations later on and also informed her supervisor of the incident. The complaint allegedly “made it up the chain to the director of Parks and Recreation, and, eventually, the city manager.” But, Lisa claims that no form of discipline was ever taken. In fact, a week after the bathroom incident occurred, DaBrusco confronted her at work telling her that he didn’t care that she filed a complaint “because they weren’t going to do anything to him anyway.”
Lisa was determined to hold her boss accountable for his inappropriate and unwanted actions so she opened up a criminal investigation in March 2016. Although all the details matched between the story she provided as well as the statements given by fellow workers, no criminal action could be taken because there were no witnesses at the time DaBrusco grabbed Lisa and kissed her. Because there was no probable cause to arrest DaBrusco, the case has been marked as “pending inactive.”
Still, Lisa didn’t give up.
She filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Florida Commission on Human Relations. She also hired a Broward County, FL sexual harassment lawyer to help initiate a case against DaBrusco. According to the documents that were filed, DaBrusco has been accused of sexual harassment on several different occasions. His supervisor, who happened to be a woman, even claimed he grabbed her inappropriately yet she didn’t do anything about it.
Lisa’s lawsuit was filed back in December in Broward Circuit Court naming DaBrusco and the City of Deerfield Beach as the defendants.
Why do individuals fail to take action when sexually harassed at work?
This case is a prime example of why many individuals fail to come forward with their own sexual harassment allegations. They feel their claims are either going to be ignored or not taken seriously, just like Lisa’s were. But, as you can see, Lisa didn’t give up and now has retained a sexual harassment attorney in Broward, FL to assist with her case.
If you are a sexual harassment victim and need legal assistance to help identify a person for their unwanted sexual advances, USAttorneys.com will help you locate a sexual misconduct lawyer in your area now. The attorneys we connect you with are some of the best in the field and are eager to help you become aware of what your rights are in the matter.
