Former Dispatcher Claims Anti-Gay Discrimination

A former Mesilla Valley (NM) Regional Dispatch Authority dispatcher has filed a lawsuit against the agency claiming he was fired when he complained about co-workers’ remarks about his sexual orientation. Rodrigo Mora states in court papers that he is gay, and was “singled out because of his sexual orientation.” His lawsuit targets the Authority, city of Las Cruces, town of Mesilla and Doňa Ana County, and asks for unspecified damages. Mora says he was fired last April after filing a discrimination complaint. He had worked as a dispatcher for almost two years. Read more about the lawsuit here. In an unrelated lawsuit, a federal judge has awarded former interim director of the MVRDA $25,000 for discrimination after she allegedly was fired in 2005 for admitting she used marijuana two years earlier. Sylvia Smith alleged that two other employees were also fired, but were allowed to appeal and return to work. Download (pdf) a package of court documents about the Smith case, including the original complaint and the bench trial summary here.