Third bias suit filed against La. agency

• By JOE GYAN JR.
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Jan 7, 2009 - Page: 2B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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A third former employee of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness has sued the office, claiming she was subjected to racially offensive remarks.

Paula Brandon, who is black, alleges in a lawsuit filed Dec. 19 in state District Court in Baton Rouge that she “was subjected to derogatory comments and a hostile working environment on account of her race.’’

Brandon says she reported the alleged racism to her supervisors and upper management on numerous occasions, verbally and in writing, but no corrective action was taken.

“However, the harassment directed at (Brandon) intensified,’’ the lawsuit says.

“It never ceased,’’ Brandon’s attorney, Jill Craft, said Tuesday.

Brandon’s petition is similar to lawsuits filed in recent months by two other former GOHSEP workers.

Craft also represents those women.

Andrea Maria Williams and Genoria Tilley, who also are black, sued GOHSEP in November and August, respectively, claiming their supervisors used racial slurs and subjected them to hostile work environments.

Brandon, Williams and Tilley worked in GOHSEP’s grants division under the same supervisory staff, Craft said.

Each are seeking an unspecified amount of damages.

The state could not comment on the pending lawsuits, said Tammi Arender Herring, communications director for state Attorney General Buddy Caldwell.

The lawsuits claim work was not distributed equally among black and white employees and black employees did not receive promotions or training equally.

Brandon worked for GOHSEP from September 2006 through June 2008.