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A former employee of the Cambria County Department of Emergency Services has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that she lost her job last year as a telecommunicator after complaining to her supervisors about a hostile work environment.
The lawsuit was filed last week in the U.S. District Court in Johnstown by Pittsburgh attorney Colleen Ramage Johnston.
It has been referred to the court's Alternative Dispute Resolution Program, which offers ways to resolve legal disputes out of court.
Christy L. Janciga, who stated in her complaint that she is a Caucasian mother of a bi-racial child, and that while at work, she was subjected to a "racially and sexually hostile work environment on a regular basis."
She contends that after complaining about the racial and sexual harassment to one of the agency's top officials, she was told to "try harder" to adjust to what was occurring at her workplace.
After complaining a second time the official told her, "Maybe you are just not tough enough for a job like this."
After complaining a third time, she alleged the same official told her, "You need to think about if this is the right place for you."
During that third meeting the supervisor told her that she would be terminated from her job if she received six write-ups -- a comment she perceived as a "threat that she would be disciplined if she continued to complain about the illegal work environment," according to the lawsuit.
She was eventually discharged on April 1, 2020.
The lawsuit stated the harassment she experienced "compromised her training to be a competent and proficient 911 telecommunicator."
The lawsuit is against Cambria County and cites violations of the federal Civil Rights Acts of 1866, 1963 and 1991.
Representatives of the county's Emergency Services Department, the Human Resources Department and the county commissioners indicated they have not yet received the lawsuit and therefore could not comment about it.
The lawsuit is asking that Janciga be reinstated to her position and that she receive back wages.
If reinstatement is not possible, the lawsuit asks for front pay. Front pay is compensatory damages paid out to plaintiffs in employment discrimination cases.
She asks also that the county be enjoined from retaliating against her.
Her lawsuit charges:
n Race harassment, which she stated is offensive to her because she is the mother of a bi-racial child.
n Sex harassment, which created a hostile work environment.
n Race retaliation because her complaints were ignored and she was refused a request to transfer to another position.
One of the comments that offended her allegedly came from a trainer who opened a session by saying, "You always know it's a good fight when you pull up and there are weaves and dreads laying in the street. ... "
She found other comments to be sexually offensive, although they were not directed specifically toward her.
The Emergency Service Department is located on Candlelight Drive in Ebensburg.