United Pilot Files a Sexual Harassment Suit : Workplace: The woman alleges that her colleagues made sexual advances and one of them sexually assaulted her.

A veteran female pilot sued United Airlines in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Tuesday, alleging that pilots with whom she has flown during her three years with the company have made sexual advances and sexually assaulted her.

Kathy Gillies, a pilot of 12 years who is still working for United and is scheduled to fly today, said in a lawsuit that she asked United to investigate her harassment complaints and institute gender sensitivity training for pilots. But United denied that any wrongdoing had occurred and refused to start such a training program, she said.

“I don’t feel anyone should have to endure what I have endured since being employed by United Airlines,” Gillies said in a press conference Tuesday. “I don’t feel that the company has taken my sexual harassment complaints seriously.”

United refused to discuss the details of Gillies’ case. But company spokesman Herb Gardner said in an interview Tuesday that “United Airlines does not condone any form of sexual harassment or discrimination.”

Gillies requested an investigation of numerous charges against her co-workers. But in a Sept. 16 letter sent to Gillies and included in the lawsuit, United said a full investigation had been conducted in which no wrongdoing could be found.

“It is not fair to the accused individual to be charged or disciplined on the basis of allegations which could not be verified by independent proof,” the letter said.

However, Gillies and her attorney do not see it that way.

“We are suing for sex discrimination and sexual harassment in employment, assault, battery and negligent supervision,” said Gloria Allred, Gillies’ attorney.

Allred said Tuesday that Gillies is seeking general and compensatory damages, but would not specify an amount.

“(Gillies) alleges that she has been continuously subjected to sexual harassment,” Allred said. She said Gillies’ male co-workers asked her to have intercourse with them and told her that she resembled women in pornographic magazines.

In addition, she was tackled and sexually assaulted by a United pilot with whom she was--and could still be--assigned to fly.

Sexual harassment cases have flourished in the wake of charges brought by law professor Anita Hill against Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas during his nomination hearings last year, said Joe Wiley, a management attorney with the firm of Corbett & Kane in San Francisco.

He said that there seems to be a greater sense of awareness in the workplace and in the public at large--but not necessarily an increase in the number of verdicts for plaintiffs.

Plaintiffs are successful in fewer than 5% of all sexual harassment cases, he said, “but when they win, they tend to win big.”

Wiley also said that a sensitivity training program--such as the one that Gillies said she asked United to start--is just as helpful to a company as it is to its employees.

“No matter how expensive a training program is, it could save the cost of a few lawsuits,” Wiley said.

The Sept. 16 letter from United to Gillies also said United Airlines could not guarantee that Gillies would never be scheduled with the pilot who allegedly assaulted her.

However, in the event the two are scheduled together, United said that they are “expected to treat each other in a professional manner.”