BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - Yellowstone County has paid $25,000 to settle a discrimination complaint filed by a former employee in the clerk of court’s office.
The Billings Gazette reported (https://bit.ly/1eB7ZIL) in a story on Friday that the county paid Barbara Klang $20,000 and her attorney $5,000 in fees.
The Montana Human Rights Bureau approved the voluntary settlement on Feb. 18.
Klang, a deputy court clerk, contended that her boss, clerk Kristie Boelter, discriminated and retaliated against her because Klang supported the incumbent clerk, Carol Muessig, in the November 2012 election. Boelter was a former deputy clerk who resigned to run against Muessig and was critical of Muessig’s management. Boelter took office in January 2013.
Klang filed a complaint with the county human resources department in March 2013 saying Boelter subjected her to “disparate treatment” and discriminated against her because she supported Muessig’s candidacy. The complaint said Klang lost her office, was given a heavier workload, and employees were not reprimanded for violating a “no scents” policy that was in place because Klang is allergic to perfumes and other scents.
The human resources office told Klang that other employees had complained about the clerk’s office and that it was bringing in an independent investigator, Klang’s complaint said.
After the complaint was filed, Klang said Boelter took away her printer and reprimanded her in front of two supervisors for demonstrating “unacceptable demeanor.”
Klang resigned on March 14, 2013, after four years in the job.
In September, she filed a complaint with the Montana Human Rights Bureau.
The county denied any wrongdoing or liability in the settlement, saying it entered the agreement only to speedily resolve the matter. The county as part of the settlement agreed to require Boelter and other supervisors to attend two hours of training on discrimination with an emphasis on political beliefs and retaliation.
The county also agreed in the settlement that any document in Klang’s personnel file concerning disciplinary action would not be mentioned or given to potential employers.
The county agreed as well not to retaliate against anyone opposing unlawful discriminatory practices, filing a discrimination complaint, testifying, assisting or participating in a discrimination investigation.
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Information from: The Billings Gazette, https://www.billingsgazette.com
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