OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) - A former Oakland city employee who was hired to help victims of gender-based violence, claims that she was fired as a result of gender-based discrimination- allegedly by the chief of the Oakland Department of Violence Prevention. Now, the woman is demanding to be reinstated and promote.
She spoke exclusively with KRON4 news.
Sarai Crain, the former deputy chief, told KRON4 that she began experiencing problems within her position early on.
"I would say my first experience happened two-months in," Crain said.
The emotions were overwhelming as tears began to fall when Crain reflected on her time as deputy chief of the Oakland Department of Violence Prevention.
A demand letter sent by her attorney to the city administrator, city council and the mayor of Oakland alleges Crain experienced misconduct including pay inequity, retaliation, harassment, and gender discrimination by the chief of the department of violence prevention Guillermo Cespedes.
Sarai Crain says this past January she inquired within the city administration about reporting the chief's alleged behavior.
"I attempted to follow up with the director of HR. I sent him an email, saying I need to speak with him about issues in my department. That was on Tuesday the 18th, and by Friday the 21st I was being fired," Crain said.
The reason she was terminated? She says the human resources director initially said she was an at-will employee. Then later told the release was a decision made by the city administrator.
Sonya Mehta, Crain’s attorney told KRON4, "unequal pay, discrimination at work is gender-based violence."
Oakland City Council is calling for an independent investigation into these allegations.
Oakland City Council member Carrol Fife says this is, "because there has been a history of what seems to be, treatment, of Black women that keeps coming up in the city of Oakland."
We reached out to Chief Cespedes and the Oakland mayor, who referred us to the Oakland city administrator.
They sent KRON4 a statement that reads in part:
"The City of Oakland’s administration takes harassment and other forms of discrimination seriously... I can say that there were circumstances and facts that led to the personnel decision in question and that I supported it. We continue to stand by the decision, and we continue to stand behind Chief Cespedes and the work he and the Department of Violence Prevention are doing on behalf of the people of Oakland."
Crain says it is hard to believe this is happening to her after dedicating her career to helping victims of gender-based violence.
"I have dedicated my life to helping women and girls and individuals that have been harmed, and to know that I was dealing with it on my back is humiliating," Crain said.
from KRON4 https://ift.tt/n2osEAJ
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