A Scott County woman has filed a lawsuit against Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Bettendorf and the Davenport Diocese, claiming she was subjected to a hostile work environment, retaliation and unequal pay at the parish.
According to the civil lawsuit, filed May 13 in Scott County District Court, Tammie Picton was employed at Our Lady of Lourdes on the maintenance staff beginning Aug. 10, 2010. She claims that in October 2010 she was chased out of her work area by a parish volunteer. She also claims that the parish administrator at the time created a sexually hostile atmosphere for women and that she was retaliated against for complaining about the administrator. Her hours were reduced, which resulted in reduction in wages, she claims. She further claims that in September 2012 she was assaulted by a co-employee on the maintenance staff. Nothing was done to rectify the hostile environment, she claims.
“The intention of the parish and the diocese is to deny and vigorously contest these allegations,” an attorney representing the diocese said. “Since this is in litigation, no further comment will be made by the parish or the diocese.”
