A Clackamas County Sheriff's Office deputy is suing the county for $500,000 alleging that co-workers made anti-Semitic comments and that he faced retaliation from supervisors after he complained about the offensive behavior.
In November, 2012, Rich Sneath, who is Jewish, reported what he believed to be evidence of wrongdoing. The
does not state the nature of the complaint.
The following month, co-workers and supervisors began harassing Sneath by posting "threatening and derogatory comments" on a group Facebook page visited by fellow employees.
The posts included anti-Semitic comments aimed at Sneath, such as "looks like Hitler missed one," and co-workers made similar comments on the job, according to the lawsuit, which alleges unlawful employment practices.
Sneath, a Sherwood resident, is a corrections deputy at the Clackamas County Jail.
Sneath said his boss, Undersheriff David Kirby, knew about the comments but did not take action. Kirby is no longer works for the Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. Nate Thompson said the agency does not comment on pending litigation.
Clackamas County Counsel Stephen Madkour could not be reached for comment.
According to the lawsuit:
Sneath learned in April 2013 that a co-worker had made anti-Semitic comments while on the job. The lawsuit offers a couple of examples: Saying "Happy Holocaust Appreciation Day" in reference to Holocaust Remembrance Day; and substituting the word "Jew" for "you" when referring to Sneath.
The county then initiated an investigation that concluded there were no substantiated violations.
Sneath claimed that during the investigation he was threatened with discipline up to and including termination."
-- Steve Mayes