By Tom Shortell
Lehigh Valley Live
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY — A Northampton County corrections officer has filed a federal lawsuit against the county and Director of Corrections Arnold Matos, claiming she has been systematically undermined in her duties because she is a woman.
Laura Kane, a county employee of five years, claims in an amended lawsuit filed last month that prison officials allowed union employees to disrespect her and demoted her in June despite positive work reviews. She believes she is being targeted at the Northampton County Prison because of her gender, according to the lawsuit.
“In the male-dominated culture of the prison administration, she, as a strong-willed female, is viewed as a threat to the male supervisory structure,” the lawsuit claims.
In the suit, the Palmer Township woman alleges union officials targeted her with false complaints about her work and interpersonal skills. Kane was routinely targeted in personal attacks on Facebook and on prison logs, but she was the only lieutenant who could not discipline subordinates without approval from her supervisors, the suit claims.
Rather than back her up, the prison management demoted her and wrongfully stripped her of seniority, the lawsuit claims. Prior to her demotion, Kane was the second woman and first Caucasian woman to be promoted to lieutenant at the prison, the suit claims.
Full story: Northampton County corrections officer sues county over alleged gender bias