Two female managers who were terminated by Jefferson County in 2007 have filed age and gender discrimination lawsuits in Denver federal court.
Jerelyn Bower was 54 and Judy Goebel was 58 when they were let go. They were two of only three employees terminated when county officials said they were trying to address a $12 million budget shortfall, the lawsuits say.
The other terminated employee was a 62-year-old woman.
The lawsuits, which seek back pay and unspecified damages, allege that younger, less-experienced people were given the women’s duties.
Acting County Attorney Ellen Wakeman could not be reached for comment.
Bower, who was support services director, and Goebel, who was human resources director, contend that County Administrator Jim Moore created a hostile work environment.
Bower said Moore failed to act when she told him that a male employee had made “disdainful and condescending remarks” to her and had said he could not report to women.
Goebel said Moore did nothing when she told him that two male employees had made derogatory remarks about women and another employee had made hostile remarks about minorities.
Both women said that on “numerous occasions, Moore explicitly described . . . unwelcome comments about the sexual abuse he suffered as a child.”
In addition, Goebel said, Moore “several times” discussed with county employees the size of his wife’s breasts and a sex video he had made with his wife but had recently destroyed with a sledgehammer.
Goebel said she was terminated on the day she told Moore she had paperwork for taking time off under the Family Medical Leave Act for a health condition.
When Goebel wrote in a report that a Latino female employee made less than two white women with the same job title, she said Moore ordered her to never prepare a similar document again, her lawsuit states.
The women said they were never warned their work was not up to par.
The lawsuits state that the county also did not follow personnel rules when it failed to give Bower and Goebel notices of termination and the opportunity for hearings.
Ann Schrader: 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com
