Claudia Raygoza has filed a lawsuit alleging gender discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination against her former employer. The complaint was filed on December 23, 2024, in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, naming Hammel, Green and Abrahamson, Inc., Waldek Kaczmarski, and other unnamed defendants as responsible parties.
The case details a troubling series of events that began when Raygoza was hired by Hammel, Green and Abrahamson (HGA) as a Senior Technical Coordinator and Senior Associate on January 30, 2023. According to the complaint, Raygoza claims she performed her duties diligently until her employment was terminated on April 19, 2024. She alleges that during her tenure at HGA, she was subjected to gender discrimination and harassment by senior staff member Waldek Kaczmarski. Despite multiple complaints to Human Resources about the alleged mistreatment starting March 6, 2024, no action was taken by the company. The situation escalated when Kaczmarski allegedly physically assaulted Raygoza on April 2, 2024.
Raygoza asserts that her dismissal was a direct result of retaliation for reporting these incidents. She accuses HGA of failing to prevent discrimination and harassment in violation of the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and retaliating against her for whistleblowing under Labor Code §1102.5. The complaint outlines how Raygoza's gender became an issue at work through derogatory comments and actions that created a hostile environment leading up to her termination.
The plaintiff is seeking damages for emotional distress, lost wages and benefits due to wrongful termination. Additionally, she requests punitive damages for what she describes as malicious conduct by the defendants' managerial staff. Her legal team argues that there is a unity of interest among the defendants that negates their separate legal status and suggests their actions were deliberate attempts to injure Raygoza.
Represented by attorneys Nicol E. Hajjar and Tina Petrosian from Wilshire Law Firm PLC in Los Angeles, Claudia Raygoza demands not only compensation but also systemic changes within HGA to prevent future occurrences of such discriminatory practices. The case is being overseen by Judge Marivic Viray under Case ID CGC-24-620870.