The complaint, filed against the facility and its operator, the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, alleges that Braun was targeted because of her gender and that the agency knew about the man’s lengthy criminal history of violent sexual assaults against women and his sexual harassment of female staff, who feared being in his presence. The Special Commitment Center is a mental health treatment facility for Level 3 sex offenders who have finished their prison sentences and are legally ordered to undergo rehabilitation until deemed eligible to transition back into society. The center was the subject this fall of work walk-outs by employees seeking better pay and conditions amid contract negotiations, The News Tribune reported in September.
Despite the man’s sexualized, violent language and conduct toward women and “documented history of multiple assaults against female peers and staff of a sexual nature,” the Special Commitment Center didn’t step up, the suit said.
“SCC Management knew, through complaints or other circumstances, of (the resident’s) language and conduct, and failed to take reasonably prompt and adequate corrective action reasonably designed to end it,” the suit said.
A DSHS spokesperson declined to comment on the allegations, citing the agency’s practice of not publicly speaking about pending litigation.
In an interview Tuesday, attorney Janelle E. Chase Fazio, who represents Braun, said that DSHS has a legal responsibility like any other employer to take adequate remedial steps to address bad workplace behavior, whether it’s from an employee or a third party.
“Any employer just can’t look the other way and wait for someone to be hurt,” she said. Prior to the attack on Oct. 31, 2023, the resident had escaped his unit, after a security door was erroneously unlocked, ran toward the staff desk area where Braun was standing and jumped over a counter to get to her, according to the suit. In the aftermath of the assault, Braun continues to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, vision loss, headaches, nightmares and insomnia, the suit said.
The complaint, which claims that the Special Commitment Center violated Braun’s right to be free from a hostile work environment and gender discrimination under the Washington Law Against Discrimination, is seeking unspecified damages to be proven at trial and legal fees.
Despite the man’s sexualized, violent language and conduct toward women and “documented history of multiple assaults against female peers and staff of a sexual nature,” the Special Commitment Center didn’t step up, the suit said.
“SCC Management knew, through complaints or other circumstances, of (the resident’s) language and conduct, and failed to take reasonably prompt and adequate corrective action reasonably designed to end it,” the suit said.
A DSHS spokesperson declined to comment on the allegations, citing the agency’s practice of not publicly speaking about pending litigation.
In an interview Tuesday, attorney Janelle E. Chase Fazio, who represents Braun, said that DSHS has a legal responsibility like any other employer to take adequate remedial steps to address bad workplace behavior, whether it’s from an employee or a third party.
“Any employer just can’t look the other way and wait for someone to be hurt,” she said. Prior to the attack on Oct. 31, 2023, the resident had escaped his unit, after a security door was erroneously unlocked, ran toward the staff desk area where Braun was standing and jumped over a counter to get to her, according to the suit. In the aftermath of the assault, Braun continues to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, vision loss, headaches, nightmares and insomnia, the suit said.
The complaint, which claims that the Special Commitment Center violated Braun’s right to be free from a hostile work environment and gender discrimination under the Washington Law Against Discrimination, is seeking unspecified damages to be proven at trial and legal fees.