Suit pending against county prosecutor’s office

The attorney for four people claiming age and disability discrimination by the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has filed a formal claim against the department, requesting an estimated $1 million in damages each.

The claim, which cannot be forwarded to the Clallam County Superior Court until it has been in the county Auditor’s Office for 60 days, alleges that four former employees received discrimination based on age or disability.

The four claimants are Carol Case, deputy prosecuting attorney, Elain Sundt, once an office administrator, Kathy Nielsen, a former deputy prosecuting attorney, and Hollie Hutton, who is representing her mother Robin Porter, a former legal assistant who died in January.

The Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has issued a statement denying the allegations against the department, stating that the county has accommodated employee disability issues and has policies in place to deal with discrimination and harassment.

The statement indicated the department hired an unidentified, but independent investigator to look into the matter once it received word the claim was being filed. The investigator found no harassment, hostile work environment or discrimination, according to the statement.

More information will be available in the Oct. 15 Sequim Gazette.