After a four-week trial that concluded this month, Ajury awarded more than $1 million to Danielle Dillard and Kim Lee, two San Francisco Sheriff’s Department (SFSD) clerks.The jury agreed with the plaintiffs that they had been targeted and subjected to racial harassment by white employees.
They discovered that the SFSD had failed to conduct an adequate investigation into their claims that white employees had subjected them to a hostile work environment.
In 2020, the women sued the agency, alleging violations of the Fair Employment and Housing Act. Angela Alioto, lead trial counsel for the case, told KQED, “It’s such a great victory that this jury saw right through the city’s pretexts and saw the insidious racism that is at different offices throughout the city, but specifically in this case at the sheriff’s office. The hatred that is racism has no place in San Francisco.”
The women work as clerks at the SFSD, where they process warrants at the sheriff’s office for criminal suspects. Dilliard and Lee said they were subjected to clearly discriminatory language and other employment discrimination, as well as retribution, on many occasions.
During a press conference, the two black women detailed their experiences. Dilliard said, “My family was accused of being gang members. It was overwhelming.”
Sgt. Phyllis Washington, another supervisor, called Dillard a “monkey” once. According to the plaintiffs’ attorneys, a noose was once exhibited at the workplace. Dillard, who was also a union shop steward, informed the authorities about the situation she and the other union members were in. According to the court filings, the department issued Dillard a cease-and-desist order to stop communicating with personnel in her unit in response to her complaints.
Lee, on the other hand, claimed she was harassed and accused of attempting to steal material after requesting a leave of absence. Her supervisor called her a monkey, and her boss threatened to dismiss her for raising concerns about the workplace. A cease-and-desist order was also served on her.
“They called me a thief, a liar, and a criminal. It really hurt. I had endured so much before, and I just continued to sweep it underneath the rug,” she said.
She was also told that she needed to improve her physical look, particularly her hairstyle. “It was excruciating for me because I had to shave my head,” she explained. They refused to let me dye my hair, something I had been doing for over 20 years. It was a really emotional experience for me.”
The plaintiffs were awarded $1,139,400 by the jury, with Dillard earning $523,400 and Lee receiving $616,000; both women will continue to work for the agency.
After the verdict, Lee said, “I’m happy I can move on. I can build myself back up, and I know I don’t ever have to be silenced on any job nowhere else.”
The Sheriff’s Department, in a joint statement with the city attorney, stated their commitment to addressing harassing behavior, saying, “As one of the most diverse sheriff’s departments in the nation that values equity and inclusion, any form of harassment or discriminatory behavior is antithetical to our values. We are surprised and disappointed by the outcome of this case and will be working with the City Attorney’s Office to evaluate any next steps.”
Alioto, the counsel for the case, shared her intentions to take up similar cases in other city departments. She said, “This is a wake-up call. The floodgates are open. Black people are treated so badly in each and every city department. Underpaid, less shift changes, less overtime, less sick time, for the same job just because you’re black.”