PHILADELPHIA -- A City of Philadelphia police officer's lawsuit against the city has been allowed to proceed, though not against the city's police department and only on her hostile work environment claim.
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern Division of Pennsylvania upheld a ruling granting summary judgment in favor of the defendants. However, the court rejected the case for summary judgment on the plaintiff's workplace harassment claim.
Judge John Padova filed the opinion on Sept. 28. The case will go forward without the police department as a defendant.
Plaintiff Deborah Grooms began working with the City of Philadelphia Police Department in 2008. Her issues with the department began in 2016.
The court notes that Grooms was the subject of allegedly sexual advances made by a co-worker while alone in the roll call room of the police station.
Allegedly, the co-worker asked “When are you going to let me suck on those melons?" and “When are you going to let me come to your new house and perform for you and give me some?"
Those were not the sole sexual comments that Grooms reported. When the Philadelphia Police Department investigated the matter, the co-worker denied making the comments.
In August 2016, Grooms' repeated tardiness became an issue, and she reported the alleged comments. The next month, Grooms arrived two hours late to work. She was docked two hours vacation time. She filed her suit in response.
Grooms asserts two complaints. She alleges a Title VII violation as well as a violation of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.
The court dismissed Philadelphia Police Department as a defendant because “[T]he Police Department cannot be sued, as it is not a separate legal entity from the City of Philadelphia.” The rest of her claims were dismissed as well, except for her allegation that she was the victim of a hostile work environment.