Denke v. Shoemaker, 2008 MT 418 (2008)

Citation: Denke v. Shoemaker, 2008 MT 418 (2008)
Parent Document: Denke v. Shoemaker, 2008 MT 418 (2008)
Jurisdiction: Montana (state)
Effective Date: 2008-12-16
Original Source: https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/888205/denke-v-shoemaker/ ↗

Full Text

1,106 chars

¶8 In August 1999, Denke filed a Human Rights complaint with the Department of Labor and Industry alleging sexual harassment and retaliation by the mayor. In October of that year, the City Council met in executive session, which was open to the public, and agreed to settle this complaint and Denke’s companion federal complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Shoemaker objected to the settlement on several grounds. He questioned the merits of Denke’s claim, opining that it was filed in response to criticisms of her job performance rather than legitimately inappropriate treatment. He also expressed disagreement with the laws providing remedies for sexual harassment, and he resented the notion of a state agency investigating the City’s conduct and interfering with the City’s autonomy in resolving something that, in Shoemaker’s view, was purely a local matter. Nevertheless, despite his objections, Shoemaker voted to approve the settlement. The parties then submitted the settlement agreement to the Human Rights Bureau of the Department of Labor and Industry for approval.

Other Sections in This Document (1000)

Full Text