Sometimes workplace politics can get in the way of an employee doing his or her job in Chaska, Minnesota. It can be argued that there really is no workplace that is immune to these power struggles, but some are much worse than others and tend to cross the line on a consistent basis.
This seems to be the case for a police force in West Virginia. A police officer who once worked on the force is suing because he says he was the subject of wrongful termination from his job after years of harassment and unfair treatment.
The man’s former girlfriend, whom he broke up with in 1995, eventually became captain of the police department. According to the man, the captain started threatening him and his wife as a way to get back at him for breaking up with her. He also said that in February 2012, the captain pushed another woman into his wife and called her a disparaging name. As a result of this incident, the man’s wife sued the captain. The man claims that the captain then started texting threatening messages to his wife.
Prior to these incidents, the man said that he endured harassment for divorcing his wife in October 2008. His wife was the cousin of the Chief of Police’s wife. He said his work responsibilities were switched and he was forced to change shifts.
The man has retained a lawyer and is seeking compensatory damages along with lost wages and benefits in his wrongful termination lawsuit. He also hopes to recover his attorney’s fees and costs and wants to be reinstated to his former rank in the police force.
Source: The West Virginia Record, “Former Charleston officer claims wrongful termination,” Kelly Holleran, August 7, 2014