A settlement has been reached in a sexual harassment and civil rights lawsuit filed by a Sioux City employee against the former city manager Paul Eckert. A statement from City Attorney Nicole Jensen says Sioux City will pay $300,000 to Brittany Scott and her attorney to resolve all of her claims in the federal lawsuit.
Scott had sued Eckert in July of 2013, claiming Eckert sexually harassed her in the fall of 2000 after her divorce, and created a hostile work environment and retaliated against her by reducing her pay and benefits when she rejected his alleged advances.
Scott also claimed she was denied promotions and given undesirable assignments. Eckert resigned two weeks after the lawsuit was filed to become the city manage of Shasta, California. Last December, Judge Mark Bennett dismissed several of Scott’s claims of retaliation against Eckert. The case was scheduled to go to trial next week. The city attorney’s statement says she is pleased the settlement will bring an end to the lawsuit. Scott remains employed by the city and has not commented on the settlement.
(Reporting by Woody Gottburg, KSCJ, Sioux City)