WILKES-BARRE — A female Pittston Township police officer endured insults, ridicule and threats from male officers whose discriminatory behavior the township supervisors failed to stop, a federal lawsuit filed against the township alleges.
Stefanie Aversa, of Old Forge, claims she was subjected to a hostile and humiliating work environment that included male officers regularly soiling the women’s bathroom with urine and pubic hair, among other derogatory behavior that eventually led her to take medication to combat the anxiety the behavior brought on, the complaint alleges.
“The offensive conduct in this hostile environment has included, but is not limited to, offensive jokes, slurs, epithets, name calling, physical assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, and interference with work performance,” says the complaint, filed Friday by Old Forge-based attorney Timothy P. Polishan.
Township solicitor John Finnerty did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
The complaint says the behavior was allowed to fester by township supervisors, who knew that Aversa was being harassed but did nothing to prevent it. She “quietly suffered” through the harassment from her hire in 2011 until she “greatly reduced” her hours in 2014, according to the complaint.
Aversa was regularly chided about a woman’s ability to do her job as a police officer, the complaint says. One male officer complained about not feeling safe with Aversa as his backup, and another ridiculed her size in a meeting attended by the entire police force, the complaint says.
The hostility peaked when Aversa was confronted by a male officer who shoved her and poked her in the chest after he became agitated with her, the complaint says. None of the officers are named in the complaint.
The confrontation prompted former township Police Chief Robert Avvisato to push for the officer’s termination, but his efforts were rebuffed by the township supervisors, one of whom allegedly replied, “We’re just a small township and we don’t want to fire anybody,” states the complaint, which does not identify the supervisor who allegedly made the comment.
Avvisato, however, was himself fired in 2015 by the township supervisors without any comment on the reason for their decision and without clarifying who would head the department, according to the Times Leader archives.
He said at the time he was convinced the board’s actions were premised on supervisor and former township police chief Steven Rinaldi’s refusal to give up the reins of the department.
Rinaldi currently remains on the board of supervisors along with Frank Sciabacucchi and Barbara Attardo. He could not be reached for comment.
Aversa first alleged hostile work environment in a claim to the state Human Relations Commission in December 2014 that was also filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The U.S. Department of Justice issued a notice of right to sue in February, according to the complaint.
She is seeking back pay, compensatory damages and other relief.
Another female township officer, Lena Angelella, sued the township supervisors and Avvisato claiming she was forced out of the department. The case remains active in federal court.
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