SAN DIEGO — A former Metropolitan Transit System employee, who filed a complaint detailing at least two alleged instances of sexual assault by ex-San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher as board chair, now claims she was offered a $10,000 “severance” by the public transit service provider one day after she was terminated.
Grecia Figueroa, who worked as a public relations specialist, filed the initial lawsuit against Fletcher on March 28. In it, she also alleges she was fired abruptly on Feb. 6 – the same day Fletcher announced his campaign for the California State Senate. MTS was also a named defendant in the complaint.
The next day, Fletcher and his attorney released a statement responding to the “false allegations,” calling the interactions “consensual.”
Now, an amended complaint filed on July 14 alleges that on Feb. 7, MTS human resources offered Figueroa a $10,000 “severance” if she “agreed to release all known and unknown claims against MTS and Fletcher” and “never tell anyone about the settlement.” She was also to never “make any statements … or cause or encourage others to make any statements that … disparage the personal and/or business reputations, practices, and/or conduct of MTS or Fletcher.”
Figueroa did not accept the offer, the amended complaint alleges, adding, “Ms. Figueroa is informed and believes that Fletcher and MTS expected otherwise.”
The amended complaint also alleges MTS terminated Figueroa at Fletcher’s will.
“Ms. Figueroa is informed and believes and thereon alleges that MTS terminated her employment at the recommendation and/or direction of its Board Chair, Defendant Fletcher, because she had been sexually harassed and assaulted by Fletcher and because she possessed information that could be damaging to both MTS and Defendant Fletcher,” it states.
Four cause of actions, which are categories of alleged violations that prompt a lawsuit, were also added to the amended complaint: gender violence, gender discrimination, wrongful termination in violation of public policy and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The initial cause of action of failure to prevent sexual harassment and retaliation was amended to failure to prevent harassment, discrimination, and retaliation, and whistleblower retaliation was changed to retaliation. Sexual harassment and sexual assault and battery remained as listed in the updated complaint.
FOX 5 has reached out to Fletcher’s attorney, Figueroa’s attorneys and MTS for comment.
A special election will be held Aug. 15 to fill Fletcher’s District 4 seat after he resigned from the position in May.
