Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Agrees to $200K Settlement Over Alleged Disability Discrimination

SACRAMENTO – The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) today announced a settlement with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California over alleged disability discrimination. The settlement resolves an individual technician’s complaint of employment discrimination through compensation and voluntary action by the district to protect against potential future discrimination.

“Every Californian is entitled to respect in the workplace,” said CRD Director Kevin Kish. “Employers are also required by law to explore reasonable ways to accommodate a worker’s disability. This settlement makes it clear that there can be real consequences when disabilities are ignored or disparaged.”

Supervisor Allegedly Belittles Employee’s Disability

In 2023, CRD received an individual complaint of disability discrimination in the workplace from an employee at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The district oversees 26 public water agencies that help deliver water to nearly 20 million people in Southern California. According to the complaint, the employee was regularly subjected to harassment by a supervisor based on the employee’s disability and then was transferred to another unit after complaining. In the complaint, the employee, who had worked as a technician at the district for more than a decade, also alleged that the supervisor:

• Changed the employee’s previously established work schedule despite an ongoing need for specific days off for medical care and a doctor’s note.
• Mocked the employee after the worker described an aspect of their disability.
• Began to complain about minor performance issues after the employee shared the need for an accommodation and then stopped responding to communications on work projects.

Complaint Leads to Settlement

After conducting an initial investigation, CRD provided the water district and the employee an opportunity to resolve the allegations voluntarily through mediation. As a result of the settlement, the water district, without admitting liability, will:

• Require training on California’s civil rights protections, with a focus on disability discrimination in the workplace.
• Seal the employee’s performance reviews around the period associated with the complaint.
• Reinstate sick leave and vacation time taken by the complainant as a result of the allegations in the complaint, which, in total, have an estimated value of nearly $75,000.
• Pay $125,000 in compensation to the worker for the alleged harms.

The settlement announced today was supported by CRD’s Dispute Resolution Division, which resolves hundreds of discrimination complaints a year through mediation. An alternative for parties who don’t want to go to court, the division offers neutral, trauma-informed mediation for civil rights disputes. These mediations result in millions of dollars in direct relief to Californians and policy change that helps prevent against future discrimination.

If you or someone you know has experienced employment discrimination, CRD may be able to assist you through its complaint process. The department also provides general information and factsheets online about civil rights protections, including with respect to employment discrimination based on a disability.

A copy of the settlement is available here.

The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) is the state agency charged with enforcing California’s civil rights laws. CRD’s mission is to protect the people of California from unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and state-funded programs and activities, and from hate violence and human trafficking. For more information, visit calcivilrights.ca.gov.

View Press Release (PDF) Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Agrees to $200K Settlement Over Alleged Disability Discrimination