A former Pepperdine University executive has reached a settlement in her lawsuit in which she said she was wrongfully fired as the school’s executive director of real estate for complaining about unsafe and unsanitary work conditions.
Plaintiff Joanna Elliott contended in her Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit that in addition to rodent and dust problems in her office, snakes, spiders and rodents crept into her university-provided home.
Elliott further maintained that she was singled out for requesting accommodations for her health issues and for speaking out about gender pay disparity. Elliott’s attorneys filed court papers with Judge Brock Hammond on Feb. 2 notifying him of an “unconditional” resolution in the case.
No terms were divulged.
In their previous court papers, Pepperdine attorneys denied Elliott’s allegations.
“Far from discriminatory or retaliatory … her termination, the impetus for this matter, followed directly from a wide-ranging investigation into concerns raised about plaintiff by one of her direct reports, Elaine Semper, during her exit interview,” according to the Pepperdine lawyers’ pleadings, which also state that Semper was concerned about Elliott’s management style, and the plaintiff’s alleged lack of professionalism and integrity.
Rather than admit and address Semper’s concerns, Elliott tried to change the subject and leveled false accusations for the first time of alleged harassment, discrimination and retaliation, according to the university attorneys’ court papers, which state that the plaintiff was fired in June 2020.
But in Elliott’s lawsuit filed in February 2021, the plaintiff said that as early as 2003 she noticed various issues with her workspace, and often smelled fumes from exhaust, cigarette smoke, fumes from the ventilation system, and odors from urine, wet dirt and mold.
In 2011, a severe toxin exposure impacted the office, resulting in widespread staff symptoms such as headaches, nausea and fatigue, according to the suit, which also stated that the next year a rodent problem was also discovered in the office.
Elliott repeatedly reported her concerns to the administration, but to no avail despite conditions worsening and employees becoming ill, the suit further stated.
In addition to the various alleged health hazards that she endured in her office, Elliott also had serious habitability issues in housing provided to her by the university and in 2009, snakes, spiders and rodents were able to easily access the residence because the doors and windows would not open and close properly, according to the lawsuit.
Elliott further contended that she was paid less than a male for substantially similar work and that Pepperdine did not sufficiently accommodate her for her known disabilities.