Hospital faces sex harassment suit
Ex-Miners’ Colfax employee claims reporting retaliation
Miners’ Colfax Medical Center is facing a lawsuit from a woman who alleges that she was sexually harassed while employed there and retaliated against when she reported the behavior.
The lawsuit, filed in 2nd Judicial District Court in Albuquerque late last month, names both the Miners’ Colfax Medical Center and the board of trustees of the Miners’ Hospital of New Mexico as defendants. Gail Stoecker accuses both parties of violating the New Mexico Human Rights Act and also of negligence.
In court filings, Stoecker is described as an administrative assistant who began working at the medical center in Raton in February of 2017 and was terminated in June of this year. Stoecker claims that the radiology manager, Brian Moffett, subjected her to frequent, unwanted grabbing, hugs and comments such as “I like that you have big breasts” and “You’re more attractive than the other girls I’ve had,” among other alleged behavior.
Moffett is not named as a defendant in the suit.
Stoecker further claims she was discouraged from filing written complaints with human resources, and when she did, she was forced to move offices, was not given a raise she had been told she would receive, and was eventually terminated.
Moffet did not respond to multiple requests for comment this week. The complaint states Moffet was eventually terminated.
Mark Jarmie, an attorney with Jarmie & Associates who is representing the defendants, declined to comment.
Kate Ferlic, an attorney with Egolf+Ferlic+Harwood who is representing Stoecker, called the matter “a strong sexual harassment case.”
“Gail is a very brave individual for standing up to harassers,” said Ferlic. “It takes individuals like her to change society and ultimately force companies to comply with the law.”
Stoecker is seeking damages for pain and suffering, mental and emotional anguish and distress, medical/ psychotherapeutic expenses, humiliation, lost wages and lost promotional opportunities.