HOBOKEN – Catherine Stewart, an employee of the Hoboken Parking Utility, has filed a lawsuit alleging that two current supervisors sexually harassed her and that the HPU failed to stop it.
Stewart is represented by Louis Zayas, an attorney based out of North Bergen, whose office sent a copy of the suit to The Reporter. Zayas previously represented Hoboken police officers in a discrimination suit against the department, and is currently former public safety director Angel Alicea’s attorney in his suit against the city for wrongful termination.
The filing states that the lawsuit is being filed “due to hostile work environment, negligent supervision, and unlawful retaliation” by the HPU and Stewart’s supervisors.
The lawsuit names the Hoboken Parking Utility, as well as two supervisors, as the defendants in the suit. Each of the two supervisors earns approximately $37,500 annually, records show.
The lawsuit alleges that Stewart was the recipient of unwanted verbal sexual advances.
Mayor Dawn Zimmer did not return immediate requests for comment. She was quoted in other media reports saying that she takes sexual harassment claims seriously, and requires all employees to take part in sexual harassment classes.
The suit follows a rough two weeks for the Hoboken Parking Utility, which was the subject of an investigative piece on FOX 5 that showed a vehicle belonging to the television reporter being wrongfully booted.
Councilwoman Beth Mason sent out a statement to supporters on Tuesday calling on the mayor to look into the allegations and “provide a full report on these two matters at the next City Council meeting,” referring to the Fox report and the lawsuit.
A Facebook group has even sprouted up in opposition of the HPU called “Occupy Hoboken Parking Utility”, but it’s unclear who runs the group. – Ray Smith
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