New Castle County Employee Files Lawsuit Against County Officials for Alleged Failure to Address Workplace Sexual Harassment
A New Castle County (NCC) employee, County Assessor Susan Oberlander, has filed a lawsuit against county officials, including Human Resources Officer Jacqueline Jenkins, Chief Financial Officer Michael Smith and County Executive Matt Meyer, for allegedly failing to effectively address workplace sexual harassment. Oberlander argues that NCC remains a safe harbor for dominant male employees in positions of power to sexually harass female employees.
The lawsuit details an incident in which Oberlander reported her supervisor, John Farnan, for sending sexually explicit and inappropriate text messages. Despite human resources substantiating the harassment claims, appropriate action was not taken, with Farnan only being demoted to an equal position as Oberlander.
Oberlander also notes that she was passed on for several promotions that she was qualified for, and other positions she applied for were granted to employees who had not engaged in protected activity. In response to the lawsuit, NCC Chief Administrative Officer Vanessa Phillips stated that Meyer and Smith were added to the suit “without merit” and that the county has systems in place to protect employees from such behavior.
However, one of Meyer’s opponents in the 2024 gubernatorial race, Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, criticized his leadership and handling of the situation. She pointed to a previous lawsuit filed in 2020 by six NCC female police officers, accusing county officials of covering up years of harassment and abuse. The plaintiffs settled for around $1.7 million.
The lawsuit highlights the ongoing issue of workplace sexual harassment in NCC and the need for accountability and change in the county government. Meyer and Hall-Long are set to face off in the Democratic Primary on Sept. 10.
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