Paterson pays $98,000 to settle parking enforcer’s hostile work place lawsuit | Paterson Times Paterson Times

Paterson pays $98,000 to settle parking enforcer’s hostile work place lawsuit

By Jayed Rahman
Published: May 6, 2016

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The city is paying $98,000 to a parking enforcement officer who alleged she was mistreated by a supervisor after she developed a feet condition due to extensive walking around the streets to enforce parking regulations.

Eileen Taylor alleged her supervisor lieutenant Shawn McIvor yelled at her in public on June 24th, 2014 for failing to use an electronic ticketing machine and failing to wear the correct foot gear for her job. She states in the lawsuit she obtained approval to use the paper summons book because the heaviness of the machine caused her left hand to swell.

Taylor, who began her employment with the city in 1988, states her doctor told her to wear warm water proof footwear due to a job related feet condition she developed. “McIvor began to harass Taylor about not using the electronic ticket machine and wearing different foot wear,” alleges Taylor’s complaint.

Taylor was reprimanded for not using correct foot wear and failing to utilize the electronic ticketing machine. Before that, she was accused of violating chain of command, for allegedly complaining to then-mayor Jeffery Jones after she was locked out of the traffic division.

On May 11th, 2013, she was approached by Jones to ticket a vehicle. She told the mayor she did not have any tickets left on her. She told the mayor the Violations Bureau is closed on Saturday and the Traffic Division door was locked.

Earlier in the day, she found the Traffic Division door locked, when she arrived to retrieve her radio and summons book. McIvor in acquired about the incident with the mayor after she returned to the Traffic Division at the end of the day.

McIvor allegedly told her the mayor forwarded a text to him. She told the supervisor she could not send a text because she did not have her phone. She then contacted the mayor by telephone to ask about the text message. “The mayor told her he never sent a text about her to anyone,” reads her lawsuit.

Taylor’s feet problems began in early 2014. Her doctor told her the condition resulted from working during all weathers at her job. She took medical leave. She was told to file workers compensation papers after she returned to work.

Upon return, McIvor allegedly told a sergeant not to complete her workers compensation papers, because he allegedly did not believe her feet conditions were work related. She contacted the city’s personnel department which provided her workers compensation papers which she completed and returned.

Taylor filed several Internal Affairs complaints against McIvor for yelling and other alleged harassment which went nowhere.

Council members approved the settlement during a special meeting on Tuesday night.


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