A woman employee at RWJ University Hospital Hamilton faced gender discrimination and harassment from her supervisor both before and after her maternity leave.
HAMILTON - A female security supervisor at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton claims in a lawsuit that she was discriminated against for taking maternity leave, then punished for breastfeeding once she returned.
Adrianne Russo, of Monroe, also alleges she was repeatedly sexually harassed by her boss, who sent her sexually explicit text messages and emails, and once told her that breastfeeding was "yucky," her suit claims.
Adrianne Russo shown in a 2014 photo. "We are confident that the facts will demonstrate that Ms. Russo was subjected to repeated and outrageous acts of sexual harassment and gender discrimination while employed at Robert Wood Johnson," Russo's lawyer Matthew A. Luber said.
"When she dared to complain, defendants actually retaliated against her by intentionally making it more difficult for her to express milk at work and, in turn, breastfeed her child," Luber charged.
"While this behavior would be shocking in any context, the fact that Robert Wood Johnson, an institution that primarily employs women, would engage in such conduct is absolutely outrageous," the lawyer said.
An RWJ Hamilton spokesperson was not immediately available for comment Monday.
Before Russo's maternity leave in January 2014, her superior, hospital security director Dave Gordon, made sexually explicit comments to her and told her that her job was on the line for taking maternity leave, the suit, filed in Middlesex County Superior Court, alleges.
Upon returning in July 2014, Russo alleges the harassment became worse and eventually she was told she was not allowed to pump breast milk in her private office, Luber said.
The lawsuit claims Russo had requested a promotion and pay raise in the spring of 2013 after being given additional responsibilities for which Gordon agreed to. Once Gordon learned in June 2013 that Russo was pregnant - with her first child - he blew off meetings to discuss the promotion.
The suit also claims that after learning Russo was pregnant, Gordon also made disparaging and unwarranted comments about her work performance. "For example, when defendant Gordon overheard a co-worker ask Plaintiff if she was planning on having another child, defendant Gordon stated to Plaintiff "'then you will really be useless."
Gordon also allegedly remarked to Russo, "Now, now don't offer to dance naked, no one wants to see that anymore."
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Once back at work, Russo complained that Gordon told her she pumped breast milk too often and that breastfeeding was "yucky."
The hospital's Director of Human Resources Rosemarie Frank, also named in the suit, allegedly defended Gordon's actions, saying Russo is no longer allowed to pump in her private office.
On April 1, 2015, in a meeting where both Gordon and Russo were present in the same room, Frank allegedly said to Russo: "Wouldn't you just rather be home with your baby?"
Dating to 2013, Gordon allegedly would send sexually explicit texts and emails to Russo and routinely discussed sexual positions, genitalia and pornography. During one encounter, Gordon said to Russo, "There must be a problem unless you are a cheerleader in a short skirt."
The lawsuit claims both Gordon and Frank would openly discuss "their sex life and their frustrations with their sex life."
Less than a week after the April 1 meeting, Russo received an email from Frank that copied Gordon and the hospital's Vice President of Quality and Professional Services Joyce Schwartz, that said Russo would no longer be able to pump breast milk in her office, and must use a lactation room two buildings away.
Schwartz is also named in the suit.
Walking to the lactation room takes too much time away from her job post, Russo says in the suit, and she cannot take as many breaks to pump breast milk for her now 19-month daughter.
Gordon was fired from the hospital in June 2015, Luber said.
Luber said Russo was passed up for Gordon's director position when he was fired even though she would have been next in line for the title.
Lindsay Rittenhouse may be reached at lrittenhouse@njadvancemedia.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
