Excerpts from ChicagoTribune.com:
On Dena Lewis-Bystrzycki’s first day as a firefighter in Country Club Hills, the chief at the time allegedly made a crude sexual comment to her. Some coworkers laughed, and she turned to one of them, asking, “Is this what I’m going to have to deal with?â€
The response, according to court records, was: “Welcome to the fire service.â€
Nearly 20 years later, Lewis-Bystrzycki has filed a lawsuit against the department, alleging ongoing issues such as firefighters watching pornography at the station, gender discrimination during her promotion process, and retaliation for speaking out about misconduct.
There are only two full-time female firefighters in the department, and Lewis-Bystrzycki is one of them. At 40, she says firefighting runs in her family—she grew up following in the footsteps of her father, grandfather, and several uncles.
“I was raised in a firehouse,†she said in an interview.
She has been a firefighter with the Country Club Hills department since 1998. She first sued the department in 2012, and on Wednesday, she filed a supplemental complaint stating that lieutenants admitted they were aware of employees watching porn at the station.
The lawsuit also claims that many questions on the 2011 lieutenant promotion exam were written by the father of Carl Pycz, the male firefighter who received the job after scoring highest on the test.
According to the lawsuit, Lewis-Bystrzycki complained about this but was ignored. At one point, Pycz allegedly approached her with a smile and said, “Let the best man win.â€
Since his promotion, the suit alleges, Pycz has retaliated against her by excluding her from meals, assigning her menial tasks, and giving her unfair discipline.
Country Club Hills has referred all questions to its attorney, Daniel Boddicker. He stated that the fire chief has removed access to premium movie channels that contain nudity. The department is also conducting further investigations into the pornography allegations.
Boddicker declined to comment on other aspects of the case, but he said the department expects to win the lawsuit.
Lewis-Bystrzycki’s attorney, Dana Kurtz, called the case one of the most extreme she has seen. “You have people in charge doing nothing,†she said.
Court documents submitted earlier this month detail at least 45 instances of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation against Lewis-Bystrzycki, dating back to the start of her career. These incidents span nearly two decades.
In 1998, shortly after starting, a firefighter threw a sex-related ring at her. In 1999, another firefighter broke into the bathroom while she was showering. In 2009, male firefighters climbed into her bunk and told her to “cuddle with me.â€
In 2012, a sticker with a sexual message was placed on her locker. That same year, a ceramic doll with its hands over its mouth was found on top of her locker—a clear message to “shut up.â€
In 2013, she was told by a coworker that there was an “unwritten order†not to help her with anything. This incident, in particular, left her feeling isolated and afraid.
“Fighting this case has left me nerve-wracked, overwhelmed, and scared,†she said.
Thanks, Dan
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