Excerpts from ChicagoTribune.com:
On Dena Lewis-Bystrzycki’s first day as a firefighter in Country Club Hills, the chief at the time reportedly leaned over and made a crude sexual comment to her. Some coworkers laughed, and Lewis-Bystrzycki looked at one of them and asked, “Is this what I should expect?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 that firefighters regularly watch pornography at the station, that she faced gender discrimination during a promotion, and that she was retaliated against for reporting misconduct.
According to the suit, there are only two full-time female firefighters in the department, and Lewis-Bystrzycki is one of them. She said firefighting runs in her family — she grew up in a firehouse, following in the footsteps of her father, grandfather, and several uncles.
“I was raised in a firehouse,†she said in an interview.
Lewis-Bystrzycki has been with the Country Club Hills Fire Department since 1998. She first filed a lawsuit in 2012 and recently added a supplemental complaint, claiming that lieutenants have admitted to knowing about employees watching porn at the station.
The lawsuit also claims that many questions on the 2011 lieutenant exam were written by the father of Carl Pycz, the male firefighter who scored highest and got the job. Lewis-Bystrzycki alleged she was ignored when she complained. At one point, Pycz allegedly smiled and said, “Let the best man win.â€
Since his promotion, the lawsuit says, Pycz has retaliated by excluding her from meals, assigning her menial tasks, and disciplining her unfairly.
The city referred questions to attorney Daniel Boddicker, who stated that the fire chief has removed access to premium channels with nudity. He also mentioned that the department is continuing its investigation into the pornography allegations.
Boddicker declined to comment further but said the department expects to win the case.
Lawyer Dana Kurtz, representing Lewis-Bystrzycki, called the case one of the most severe she has encountered.
“You have people in charge who are doing nothing,†she said.
Court documents filed earlier this month show at least 45 incidents of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation against Lewis-Bystrzycki since she started working in 1998.
One of the earliest incidents involved a firefighter throwing a sex toy at her. In 1999, another 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. Later that year, a ceramic doll with its hands over its mouth was left on top of her locker — implying she should “shut her mouth.â€
In 2013, she was told by a coworker that there was an “unwritten order†not to help her with anything. That incident, she said, was particularly disturbing. Fighting the case has left her feeling “nerve-wracked, overwhelmed, and scared.â€
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