Former deputy claims boss harassed her
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WAYNESBURG – The chief Greene County deputy sheriff, who was laid off Dec. 31, filed a civil complaint against her former boss, Richard Ketchem, alleging she was subjected to continual harassment in what she referred to as a “hostile work environment.”
Lisa Sowden, of 219 Chartiers Road, Jefferson, through her attorney Dennis Makel, filed the complaint Tuesday in Greene County Court.
Sowden, who worked as chief deputy from July 25, 2011, until Dec. 31, claims as the only female deputy in the office, she was consistently treated differently than her male counterparts throughout her tenure as chief deputy.
“Ms. Sowden was provided different training and was verbally assaulted and harassed orally in front of male employees, when none of the other male deputies were ever subjected to such humiliation and undermining,” the complaint said.
Additionally, the complaint said, she was on call 24 hours a day and was not provided with any time off, “when none of the other all male deputies were ever so required.”
Makel said in mid-to-late summer of 2103, he discussed these issues with members of the sheriff’s department and the human relations director in an attempt to address the “hostile work environment” being created by (Ketchem).
Ketchem served as sheriff of Greene County for 24 years before announcing in early 2013 he would not seek re-election. Brian Tennant won the Democratic nomination in the spring primary, defeating Erik Ketchem, son of Richard Ketchem, and William Lewis Jr., a deputy coroner and state constable. Tennant also captured the Republican nomination on write-in votes. He was sworn into office this January.
Sowden’s complaint also said that in August 2013, when the hostile work environment continued, Makel wrote to the human relations director requesting (Ketchem) “cease and desist the workplace harassment of Ms. Sowden.”
The harassment did not stop, the complaint said.
Makel contends Ketchem discriminated against Sowden because of her sex in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.
Sowden is seeking back pay, front pay, compensation for lost fringe benefits, compensatory damages for humiliation, embarrassment, loss of self-esteem, plus costs and attorneys’ fees.
An attempt to reach Ketchem by phone Wednesday for comment was unsuccessful.