Canadian in U.S. suing ex-boss for discrimination

A Canadian woman living in the United States is suing her former employer on the grounds that she was discriminated against because of her country of origin.

Laurie Samuel has filed a lawsuit against the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in Washington, D.C., where she worked from 2006 to 2013. Samuel alleges that her former boss made derogatory remarks about her Canadian citizenship, blocked her application for permanent residency and talked about wanting to hire an American in her place. Samuel is seeking back pay as well as compensation for punitive damages and legal costs. She is also requesting that the issue be resolved at a trial by jury.

The Office of the Attorney General, which oversees the MPD, has not yet filed a statement of defence against Samuel’s allegations.

Office spokesman Robert Marus declined to comment on the matter until that statement is filed.

According to the statement of claim, Samuel, who was born in Canada, completed graduate work in the United States and joined the MPD in 2006 shortly after finishing a PhD in criminology. The bulk of her allegations are levelled against Diane Hains Walton, who was her direct supervisor for most of her time with the department.

The statement makes the allegation (among others) that Hains Walton directly interfered with Samuel’s efforts to obtain permanent residency status in the U.S., The claim says Samuel was placed on administrative leave in August 2013 and “constructively dismissed” two months later. Samuel attributes the dismissal to Hains Walton’s “discriminatory” treatment.

Neither Samuel nor her lawyer responded to a request for comment.