Court rules Ohio Civil Rights Commission discriminated against employees

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Ohio Civil Rights Commission, the agency in charge of investigating allegations of unlawful discrimination, was found by a federal court to be liable for unlawful discrimination. 

In two separate cases, the commission and its director, Angela Phelps-White, were found to have deliberately discriminated against high-ranking women within the state organization. 

The commission investigates discrimination in the workplace, in housing, and in education.

One of the women who took the agency to court was a regional director in charge of those investigations in Dayton and Cincinnati. The other was the chief legal counsel for the entire Civil Rights Commission. 

Each walked away with a win that cost Ohio taxpayers three-quarters of a million dollars after accusing the director of civil rights violations, and they said it started on their first days on the job. 

“She, on her first day of employment, told me, where she had previously worked she had issues with women and told me she did not like working with women, and I knew right then and there, Colleen, I was in trouble,” Samantha Demers, the former chief legal counsel for the commission, said. 

Court documents detail the trouble, with multiple employees claiming the work environment was “emotional and abusive,” that the director practices “psychological manipulation,” and she made it clear that she did not want to work with women. 

“I really couldn't believe it was coming out of her mouth because she is an attorney,” Demers said. “She's been in state government for some time, and I frankly was just shocked.”

The former human resources director revealed director Phelps-White not only said she “got along better with males,” but said, “We need more males in these areas. I like my eye candy.” 

Former regional director Lori Taylor said her problems started with sexual discrimination from a male coworker. 

“I had two other employees who came to me and made complaints, regarding the same male and so whenever it happened to me, I followed through with HR and just, you know, did my internal complaint,” Taylor said. 

Then she waited for an investigation that never came. She believes it was blocked and the man was protected. 

“The person that I alleged sexual discrimination against was not even interviewed,” Taylor said. “It tells me that the core values of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission talks about having service, integrity, teamwork, and also, excellence and, excellence. It says that all employees will be treated by upper leadership in a manner of giving everyone the same respect. And I was not given that.” 

Both women said they faced retaliation and mistreatment: Demers’ executive-level duties were slashed when the director refused to speak or communicate with her. Demers feared she would be fired so a man could take her job. 

“And that's exactly what happened,” she said. “Colleen, I was like four months from being eligible to retire and I loved my job, I loved it. I never wanted to do anything differently, and my career that would never recover simply will not recover. 

Taylor said she felt forced to resign.  

“I did not want to get out of there,” she said. “I loved what I did. I believe in, you know, doing investigations through for the for civil rights and standing up for people.” 

Both women prevailed in federal court, but their attorney said nothing has really changed at the Civil Rights Commission.  

“No one said that civil rights can be violated,” attorney Fred Gittes said. “No one has said a director like this can say, ‘I’m only hiring men.’” 

When asked why Phelps-White was still head of the commission, Gittes said, “Good question and I hope you will ask them that.”

The Civil Rights Commission refused to set up an interview between NBC 4’s Colleen Marshall and Phelps-White and also refused to comment on the lawsuit, deferring instead to the Ohio Attorney General’s office; the attorney general’s office then said to speak with the civil rights commission. 

For the sex and age discrimination complaints, the federal court awarded Taylor more than $150,000 while Demers was awarded more than $500,000. 

Two other cases are pending in federal court, with Ohio Civil Rights Commission employees saying they were also the victims of workplace discrimination.