A sexual harassment claim filed on behalf of two female former Assembly employees, Victoria Burhans and Chloe Rivera, against their employer, former New York State Assemblyman Vito Lopez, has recently resulted in a tentative settlement agreement (pending approval by state officials) which will see both the state and Lopez himself paying out significant damages. Specifically, the settlement awards Plaintiffs a total of $580,000 in damages, with $545,000 of that being paid by the state and $45,000 being paid by Lopez. Additionally, Lopez resigned from the Assembly in May 2013 after the Joint Commission on Public Ethics found that he had previously sexually harassed at least eight young female employees.
The suit alleged that Lopez subjected the Plaintiffs to “unwelcome verbal and physical conduct of a sexual nature”, such as comments pertaining to their physical appearance and private relationships. Further, the lawsuit claimed that then-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and members of the legislative staff covered up previous sexual harassment complaints and settlements with Vito, which they never forwarded to the Ethics Committee or attempted to investigate.
The New York City employment lawyers at Fitapelli & Schaffer, LLP have established a reputation for fighting vehemently for the rights of employees, exemplified by their successful recovery of millions of dollars for its clients. If you believe that you have been subjected to sexual harassment in the workplace, or have any questions pertaining to the legality of certain workplace conduct, please contact us at (212) 300-0375 or visit our website at www.fslawfirm.com