A former Gig Harbor pharmacist has filed a lawsuit against the Franciscan Health System, alleging they mishandled the investigation into her allegations about getting drugged and raped by a superior.
The 37-year-old woman started training in 2017 at St. Anthony Hospital, which is part of the Franciscan Health System. She said her superior had control of her pay, working conditions and hours and continually asked her out on dates.
When the woman refused his advances, he allegedly retaliated against her. She said the managers didn’t do anything when she complained about the behavior.
“Instead, the good-old-boys network took over, and her complaints were trivialized and swept under the rug,” the lawsuit says.
A manager said that the alleged harasser had problems with women in the past and that she should just get to know him.
The lawsuit says that the woman invited him out for coffee or drinks as co-workers, thinking, “The workplace harassment and hostility would stop if he felt like she was making an effort to be friends with him. He assured her that he would be professional and would not be rude and aggressive as he had been so many times in the past.”
However, when the two met on Jan. 7, 2018, he allegedly grabbed her, kissed her, made sexual innuendos and asked her to take Ambien with him. She refused and said that she was just there as a co-worker.
As they were about to leave, they were maintaining a professional relationship and having a good conversation. He asked her if they could continue talking at his house and she agreed.
When they got to his house, he gave her a drink that made her feel sleepy. She claims he raped her as she went in and out of consciousness.
The woman alleges that at work, he, “-eventually became more and more hostile, swearing, throwing things, yelling, playing loud music, and used intimidation tactics such as physically blocking her path or making prolonged unreciprocated eye contact.”
When she had a meeting with human resources, she said was asked questions she found uncomfortable and irrelevant.
“The Franciscan HR Department’s handling of the report of the rape, harassment, retaliation, and continued hostile work environment exhibits incompetence and poor judgment,” the lawsuit says.
For information about personal injury claims, visit Cohen & Cohen.
