Female deputy files suit against Burnet County, alleges wage and gender discrimination
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BURNET — A female sheriff’s deputy has filed a federal lawsuit against Burnet County alleging wage and gender discrimination.
Deputy Barbara Kline’s lawsuit claims she suffered "discriminatory wage practices based on sex" because male officers with less experience were paid more.
County officials said the suit has no merit.
"This has been an ongoing situation for well over a year," said County Attorney Eddie Arredondo. "It has been investigated by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and there was no finding that Burnet County did anything wrong."
Kline filed the suit in the U.S. District Court Western District of Texas San Antonio Division earlier this month.
Kline is requesting a jury trial and damages of more than $75,000, according to the legal petition filed by her attorney Adam Poncio.
While assigned to the Sheriff’s Office as a bailiff during 2006, Kline argues she earned less pay than a less-experienced and less-qualified male bailiff hired by the sheriff.
Two years later, Kline was promoted to civil officer without a pay increase. Also, the male officer who succeeded her as bailiff received more pay despite lack of experience and qualifications, her lawsuit alleges.
During her employment with the county since 2002, when she began to work as a dispatcher, Kline "received high praise in annual performance appraisal reviews," according to Kline’s petition.
No date has been set for the hearing.
"The individual (Kline) has the option to file a lawsuit, and it (the case) will be determined in the court setting," Arredondo said. "Burnet County has been very open about the situation. We have showed our records to everybody, including EEOC. Everything we have done is based on an employee plan."