Countersuits Against Dodgers Sexual Harassment Claimant Proceed

Baseball season may have come to an end for Californians, but a 72-year-old employee of the Dodgers has sued both her supervisor and the team alleging sexual harassment. Both the supervisor and the team have countersued and the defendant was unsuccessful in having the case dismissed. The dismissal revolves around an illegally recorded phone conversation.

Back in May, Vickie Gutierrez sued her supervisor Ariane, the Los Angeles Dodgers LLC and the Los Angeles Dodgers Holding Co. LLC. Citing her 35 years as an usher for the team, Gutierrez states her medical conditions, which include panic attacks and high blood pressure, are a result of a hostile work environment. Despite the conditions, she maintained an exemplary record and never missed a day of work.

In her lawsuit, Gutierrez alleges that Ariana terrified her preventing her from speaking out until 2017. After confiding in another employee, the complaint of alleged sexual demands went up the chain of command. The team conducted an investigation into Ariane and found no wrongdoing on his part.

All the listed parties have since countersued Gutierrez stating that she illegally recorded at least one private conversation during work hours. The parties allege that neither Ariane nor the team gave consent for Gutierrez to record the conversations. The countersuit has also stated that Gutierrez had become a troublesome employee for the last few years.

November 18, 2019, Judge Dennis Landin of the Los Angeles Superior Court ruled that the countersuits can proceed after hearing arguments the previous Friday. Gutierrez’s attorney Joseph Singleton maintains that recording the conversation was not wrong because she used the recordings to collect evidence of sexual battery against her.