Former 911 worker suing Blair

A Duncansville-area woman is suing the Blair County Department of Emergency Services, saying that she quit her job in the 911 Center after only 14 months because the work environment was so hostile.

Kelli Sawyers filed the civil rights lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Johnstown. She asked for unspecified money damages and a court order that would bar the county from sexual harassment, gender discrimination and retaliation against other employees.

Sawyers worked from August 2006 until October 2007, when she resigned.

"I don't like that [expletive]. ... She thinks she is gonna come in here and be nice to all these callers, providers, etc., and she will learn real quick she isn't going to change a thing in here. We do as we please, and she won't last long thinking she is going to change things and straighten this place out," a female 911 worker said about Sawyers during her employment there, court documents state.

Sawyers was a new employee at the center undergoing training when she heard that senior employees "said horrible, foul and nasty things about [Sawyers] and other trainees," court documents state. The trainees were called "morons."

A 911 supervisor used "foul, ignorant and vulgar names" to describe firefighters being dispatched by the center, another worker used similar language about an Altoona police officer who asked for a vehicle registration check, and workers used disrespectful terms face-to-face and behind the back of another 911 supervisor, court documents state.

There was a great deal of yelling and screaming of obscenities in the center, she charged.

She also said some workers would watch sexually explicit movies while in the communications room.

She said she talked to 911 Director Scott Beveridge about the problem, and he did address the staff in October 2007 by telling employees "the harassment, the name-calling, and the cursing would have to stop ... and that the 911 center is wide open for a lawsuit, so it all better stop." After the meeting, co-workers criticized Beveridge, at which time Sawyers said she could no longer stand the "hostile work environment" and resigned.

Blair County Commissioner Diane Meling, who is the commissioner assigned to oversee the county's emergency services department, said Thursday that she was aware Sawyers had problems with the county because a complaint originally had been filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The Philadelphia EEOC office investigated the charges and the case was "thrown out," Meling said. Sawyers' attorney Timothy L. Kolman of Penndel, however, indicated that the EEOC issued a notice of Sawyers' right to sue on Nov. 2.

When the order was issued, Sawyers had 90 days to file a lawsuit in federal court.

The lawsuit claims violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.

Sawyers worked for the emergency services before Meling became the commissioner in charge of the department.

The department today "is very professional," and there have not been any additional grievances filed against the department to make her think anything is wrong with the center's operation, Meling said.

Beveridge was asked to comment Thursday, but Meling said he would not be commenting because the lawsuit has been filed.

The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Kim Gibson.