Suit by Female Hueneme Official Alleges Harassment

Port Hueneme’s city manager has been slapped with a discrimination lawsuit by a Latina city official who alleges she was sexually harassed, subjected to racial slurs and paid less for doing the same work as a male colleague.

Housing and Facilities Maintenance Director Ester Esparza, an employee with the city since 1973, alleges that Dick Velthoen, 62, repeatedly hugged and kissed her against her will, according to the federal suit filed June 4.

The suit also alleges that Velthoen made “sexually charged comments” in front of Esparza and said he wanted “a romantic, sexual relationship” with her.

Esparza, 53, further alleges that her boss used racial slurs directed at Latinos more than once and claimed Oxnard was “poorly managed because it has been primarily staffed by Hispanics,” the suit said.

The city of Port Hueneme is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit. In a legal response filed June 28, an attorney representing Port Hueneme denied the allegations, saying neither the city nor its city manager discriminated against Esparza.

Attorney Brian Keighron, who represents the city, called Esparza a “well-treated and well-compensated department head,” noting that her salary and benefits exceeded $100,000 a year.

“The city is very disappointed that, after 26 years of employment, Ester has filed these claims,” Keighron said. “The city adheres to all nondiscrimination and nonsexual harassment policies and believes they have been in full compliance with those policies and the law.”

But Esparza’s attorney, Richard Weinstock, said his client was clearly exposed to a hostile work environment.

“Not because it occurred on a daily basis,” Weinstock said, “but it was frequent enough that it was emotionally upsetting. . . . She felt humiliated.”

Esparza said she was not given an appropriate pay raise when she took on the duties of community development director, while maintaining her responsibilities as housing director, between January 1997 and March 1999.

Weinstock estimates Esparza’s salary and benefits were about $10,000 to $15,000 less than a white male employee received for handling only community development director duties.

But after more than two decades of service with the city, Esparza decided to file her claim when the duties of community development director were taken away from her, Weinstock said. Esparza believes the action was punishment for comments she made at a City Council retreat in February.

According to the suit, city officials were discussing what qualities they would like to see in their next city manager. Velthoen, Port Hueneme’s city manager for 24 years, is set to retire next February.

Esparza said she hoped to see someone hired who would have “sensitivity to, and be responsive to, the needs and wishes of female employees of the city,” the suit said.

A few weeks later, the extra duties were taken away, Weinstock said.

“And just the timing of it all,” Weinstock said, “it made her believe it had to do with her comments at the retreat. It was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

Esparza is currently on unpaid leave from the city after being denied a stress leave. She is asking for $1.5 million in lost wages and emotional distress and plans to pursue additional punitive damages.