HomeMy WebLinkAbout1977 04-27 Ruling says woman discriminated against THE REVIEW •
Ruling says woman
discriminatedagainst
•y Anne Skinner
while the base pay of a patrolman has who said the Civil Service Commission
According to Ramsey District Judge ranged from $1,030 to $1,400. only ruled Ferrazzo should be classified
lames Lynch's ruling, Maplewood police Ferrazzo's attorney, Judith Oakes, as a police officer and not as a police
)fficer Patricia Ferrazzo has been the noted her client "is very pleased" with woman. "They did not take action to
arget of discrimination since 1960, when the ruling. certify her as a police officer," Miller
>he first came on to the city's force. The discrimination charges were filed said.
In his decision issued Wednesday,April with the Human Rights Commission in According to Oakes, the commission is
20,Lynch ruled Maplewood's only female 1975, after the Civil Service Commission only required to certify new officers and
police officer was entitled to $17,827 in had ruled in March of that year Ferrazzo not those who have their classification
back pay and interest for nearly four was entitled to be paid as a police officer. changed because the latter have already
years.Ferrazzo's pay since July,1973 has The ruling was never administered by been certified.
ranged from$742 a month to$865 a month, Maplewood City Manager Mike Miller, "The Civil Service Commission's ruling
merged the two positions (of police
woman and police officer) and merely
changed the title,"Oakes noted."Pat had
been waiting for the city to administer the
ruling. When they didn't she decided to
take it to court.Had it been implemented,
she said she would not have pressed for
back pay."
Miller also said recently that since
Ferrazzo's duties were mainly in the
office, the city could hire a clerical em-
ployee at less cost to perform the same
duties. "The judge heard exacting
descriptions of her duties from Chief Dick
Schaller and from Pat,and concluded she
is not a secretary," Oakes said.
Schaller said he could not comment on
the issue.
Ferrazzo was also awarded seniority
status as a police officer retroactive to
Nov. 1, 1962, which is the date originally
awarded by the Civil Service Com-
mission.
THE MAPLEWOOD CITY Council,
upon recommendation of city attorney
Don Lais, voted unanimously the
following day to request Judge Lynch to
reconsider the seniority award. Lais
advised the award might be computed to
begin in 1969 when the civil rights law was
enacted.
He also said the city would be in a better
position to appeal the ruling to a higher
court if it first asked the judge to
reconsider certain aspects of his ruling. i
The ruling will require the City of
Maplewood to pay Ferrazo$17,827 in back
pay and interest (the statute of
limitations restricts the retroactive
payments beyond July 7, 1973) $4,645 in
attorney fees,plus the city attorney's fees
and additional contributions to the Public
Employee Retirement Association.
Ferrazzo said she could not comment
until the ruling had been implemented.