Advocacy Group Sues On Behalf Of Gay Worker

An advocacy group sued a Denver-based apartment company Wednesday, contending it retaliated against a gay employee at a downtown Denver loft complex after he complained that his boss made derogatory comments about gays.
The lawsuit said Richard James Miller resigned a year ago from the company, known as AIMCO, because he no longer could tolerate the way he was treated while working as assistant community manager at the Bank & Boston Lofts on 17th Street in downtown Denver.
Miller, 29, said his hours and pay were reduced, his responsibilities increased and his employee-discounted rent at another AIMCO managed apartment complex raised after he complained.
Judy Stowell, spokeswoman at AIMCO's Denver headquarters, said it "strongly denies the allegations contained in the lawsuit."
"We will vigorously defend this claim, which we feel has no merit," Stowell said.
She said AIMCO's employee handbook prohibits discrimination against members of groups protected by any law.
A Denver city ordinance prohibits discrimination based on sexual preference. Miller's lawsuit was filed in Denver District Court.
"We investigated this complaint as we do any other discrimination or harassment complaint," Stowell said.
The lawsuit was filed by the Colorado Legal Initiatives Project, known as CLIP, which is part of the the GLBT Community Center of Colorado. The center advocates for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and people with HIV and AIDS.
AIMCO manages, owns or operates approximately 1,476 apartment communities in 47 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, including 29 in Colorado, according to a CLIP news release.
Miller's lawsuit said his first boss at AIMCO treated him with respect but that things changed after Carlene Desjardin became his boss in October 2004.
"Desjardin's supervision of Miller subjected him to anti-gay slurs and epithets," the lawsuit states. "Furthermore, Desjardin's expressed hostility toward gay people created a hostile, intimidating and abusive work environment based on sexual orientation."
He complained to AIMCO higher-ups in December 2004.
"When confronted with Miller's complaint of harassment, Desjardin claimed she did not know Miller was gay and would not have used homophobic slurs and epithets in his presence if she had known," the lawsuit said.
Efforts to reach Desjardin for comment were unsuccessful.
from The Rocky Mountain News