Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. is facing some very serious allegations from a former employee, who also happens to be his ex-girlfriend. The former employee Melanie McDade, who was the mayor’s assistant, claims that she was wrongfully terminated in 2019 after she ended the eight-year relationship with the mayor. She claims that he removed her from assignments and kept her out of executive meetings before terminating her.
Documentation provided by McDade claims that she was berated by the mayor and that other workers shunned her because of the mayor’s actions. It is alleged that the mayor was filled with jealous rage if she didn’t give in to his sexual demands or if he suspected she was interested in another man.
The termination letter McDade received claimed that she was let go for using employees to handle her personal tasks and forging a bonus check to make it appear as though she was more financially stable for a loan. The city asserts that McDade never denied those allegations.
The city has rejected the woman’s claim, so she has six months to file a lawsuit regarding the matter. Her initial claim against the city sought $12 million in damages. This included $259,401 for lost wages, $4.5 million worth of general damages, $5 million in punitive damages, and $1.5 to $2 million for attorney fees.
Anyone who is wrongfully terminated because they refuse a supervisor’s sexual advances, even if they had a former relationship, has the option of pursuing legal action. Working with an attorney who is familiar with this type of employment issue might be beneficial — and it can help you better understand the process moving forward.
