Oregon Dept. of Corrections faces $1M civil rights lawsuit

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A former employee is suing the Oregon Department of Corrections for almost $1 million.

The Statesman Journal reported Wednesday that Gary Sims says the department’s diversity office unlawfully retaliated against him for aiding employees with discrimination complaints.

Sims’ lawsuit, filed in circuit court Aug. 8, says he stopped working with the department in November 2017 after the agency eliminated his position and failed to offer an alternative job.

The lawsuit says he was promoted to diversity and inclusion administrator in 2013, but his superiors became less enthusiastic over time and neglected workplace discrimination concerns.

The complaint by Sims, who is black, says a superior reprimanded him in 2017 and his office was closed over reported budget concerns.

State corrections officials did not respond to the newspaper’s request for comment.