DuPage deputy sues sheriff's office, says she faced sexual harassment, discrimination
A DuPage County sheriff's deputy is suing the sheriff's office, saying she was sexually harassed by a supervisor, and discriminated against because she is a woman.
Veronica Caunca, 40, of Oswego, filed the lawsuit Oct. 9 against the office, current Sheriff James Mendrick and previous sheriff John Zaruba. According to the lawsuit, Caunca has been a deputy since November 2008.
The sheriff's office spokesman declined to comment about the lawsuit and instead referred questions to the DuPage County state's attorney's office.
"We are aware of the lawsuit but have yet to be served. As with any pending litigation filed against the county or its elected officials, we will not be making any comment regarding this suit other than to say we will vigorously defend our clients," said Paul Darrah, the state's attorney's spokesman.
Caunca's attorney has not replied to a request for comment.
The lawsuit states that starting in January 2014, Caunca was sexually harassed and received unwanted sexual advances from a lieutenant who was in charge of the courthouse security detail to which she was assigned.
The suit alleges that after Caunca rebuffed the lieutenant, he defamed her character and professional reputation. She states she also was denied a promotion to sergeant; the supervisor tried to take away her courtroom assignment; and that he interfered with, and denied her, time to pump breast milk, to the point she developed breast inflammation.
The lawsuit contends the stress of dealing with the situation caused Caunca to suffer from shingles, diarrhea, nausea and migraine headaches.
The supervisor named in the lawsuit retired in August.
Caunca's suit says she filed complaints with superiors at the sheriff's office, and to the county's human resources department, but nothing was done.
The suit seeks at least $50,000 in damages for unspecified loss of wages and benefits, and for suffering, pain, distress, humiliation and damage to her reputation.
Caunca is one of 19 plaintiffs in a separate lawsuit against the sheriff's office stemming from a pay dispute.