Former city employee sues after ‘intimidated’ out of job

A former Ocean City Police Department employee alleges the city perpetuated a hostile work environment that involved her being “ridiculed, intimidated and mocked” into resignation after she filed a complaint for workplace bullying.

Sandra D’Alessandro, a former records technician, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court earlier this month against the Town of Ocean City, years after she reported discriminatory acts with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). D’Alessandro filed the complaint roughly 90 days after the EEOC issued her two “right to sue” letters earlier this summer.

The core of D’Alessandro’s complaint claims that a former coworker repeatedly harassed her and two African-American employees when she started a seasonal job in May 2014. D’Alessandro is Caucasian.

This coworker made several racially and sexually charged comments, according to the lawsuit. During an argument, the coworker allegedly told D’Alessandro to leave him alone and to “do nothing … act black like your friends,” according to court documents.

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