SEATTLE — A series of lawsuits filed against Everett allege the city failed to terminate a Fire Department trainer who sexually harassed recruits and employees.
Four employees filed separate lawsuits at the end of March, claiming Chau Nguyen repeatedly harassed Everett firefighter recruits, and that the city “failed to take reasonably prompt and adequate corrective action to address Nguyen’s behavior.”
They are all represented by attorneys with the firm Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala.
“Nguyen’s sexual harassment of subordinates, recruit firefighters, and employees was severe and pervasive,” the lawsuits state.
In a statement, spokesperson Simone Tarver wrote the city will “put forth its defense to the allegations” in court.
“The City of Everett is and has always been committed to ensuring a workplace free from harassment,” the statement said.
Tarver did not offer further comment, citing the pending litigation.
The four lawsuits follow another one filed in November, which also named South County Fire and Snohomish County as defendants. The plaintiff alleged Nguyen sexually harassed him at the Snohomish County Fire Training Academy.
South County Fire spokesperson Leslie Hynes said the agency does not comment on pending litigation.
“South County Fire is firmly committed to complying with all laws regarding discrimination and harassment,” Hynes said.
The lawsuits allege Nguyen made flirtatious remarks and sexual advances, including commenting on recruits’ physical appearance, inviting them to his home and touching them without consent.
One recruit’s lawsuit alleges that during his training, he was forced to share sleeping quarters with Nguyen. On one occasion, the complaint alleges, Nguyen lay on top of him without warning while he was resting in bed.
Another recruit’s lawsuit claims Nguyen put his hand through the aid car window and rested it on the man’s thigh before moving it up to his groin. Nguyen leered at recruits while they were changing, the lawsuits allege, and insisted on sharing details of his sexual exploits.
The complaints state the recruits feared they would lose their jobs for denying Nguyen’s sexual advances. He acted differently in front of supervisors and company officers and “took advantage of subordinate, probationary employees who were less likely to complain to management given their employment status,” the lawsuits allege.
The sexual harassment was reported as early as December 2019, the lawsuits said, and the city allowed Nguyen to remain employed despite finding the complaint substantiated. Nguyen was reprimanded again in March 2021 and the city began an internal investigation in December of that year, when multiple reports were made to the city’s fire battalion chief.
According to the lawsuits, the city concluded the evidence of sexually inappropriate behavior was substantial. Nguyen was not fired, though. Instead, he voluntarily resigned in January 2022, attorneys wrote.
The lawsuits claim the city of Everett’s negligence resulted in the men experiencing emotional and psychological distress, trauma and anxiety.
Attorneys with PCVA believe Nguyen has sexually harassed other firefighters and recruits, as well.
