Simi Valley to Pay $230K to Resolve Complaint Alleging Sexual Harassment and Disability Discrimination

SACRAMENTO – The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) today announced a settlement with the City of Simi Valley in Ventura County to resolve allegations that a city employee was unlawfully subjected to discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. As part of the settlement, the city will pay $230,000 to the employee and provide training on state civil rights protections in the workplace.

“Everyone deserves a safe and welcoming workplace,” said CRD Director Kevin Kish. “When issues arise, it’s the employer’s responsibility to take concerns seriously and act swiftly to address them. This settlement demonstrates that there can be serious consequences for failing to appropriately address complaints of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.”

Inaction and Retaliation

In 2025, CRD received a complaint against the City of Simi Valley from an employee who alleged that her manager retaliated against her after she resisted and reported sexual harassment. According to the complaint, the employee reported instances of sexual harassment, including being shown inappropriate photos, and was then later reprimanded by her manager using an unrelated matter as a pretext. Despite the employee’s internal complaint, she said no action was ever taken by the city to address her concerns. Around the same time, the employee requested a modified work schedule due to a disability. However, her request was allegedly unlawfully denied despite her providing a medical evaluation to support her request and the fact that other employees were purportedly allowed to have a similar schedule.

Voluntary Remedy

After conducting an initial investigation, CRD provided the city with an opportunity to resolve the allegations through mediation. As a result of the settlement, the city, without admitting wrongdoing, will:

• Provide training to the supervisor on state civil rights protections against discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
• Report on compliance with the settlement to the state within 90 days.
• Pay $230,000 in compensation to the employee.

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 for members of the public, including with respect to sexual harassment and disability accommodations.

The settlement announced today was mediated by Senior Mediator Andrea Fernandez-Jackson.

You can learn more by reading the settlement.

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) Simi Valley to Pay $230K to Resolve Complaint Alleging Sexual Harassment and Disability Discrimination