“Boys Club” — Former Warwick Water Employee Alleges Sexual Harassment in Federal Lawsuit

“Boys Club” — Former Warwick Water Employee Alleges Sexual Harassment in Federal Lawsuit

A former City of Warwick employee has filed a federal lawsuit alleging she was sexually harassed during her time at the Warwick Water Division — and that, despite reporting the incidents, she was subject to continued harassment. 

Plaintiff Bree Boulais, who is being represented by attorney Paige Munro-Delotto, filed the 50-page complaint in U.S. District Court last Friday, naming the City of Warwick, the Warwick Water Division, and Warwick Mayor Frank Picozzi as defendants. 

She says that she began working for the Warwick Water Department as a Water Project Supervisor in April 2021 and that, for the first year, she “did her job well, and there were no offensive events.” 

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“However, it was apparent that the leadership of the Water Department seemed to foster an environment of sexism and inappropriateness; to [Boulais] it felt like a ‘boys club’ based on how the men talked about women openly,” according to the lawsuit.  “By the spring of 2022, the environment started to become hostile for [Boulais] because of her sex.”

By 2023, Boulais alleges the harassment became so severe that she needed to seek mental health treatment and that she was deprived of her Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) rights before ultimately resigning. 

 

Sexual Harassment Alleged

According to Boulais, starting in March 2022, she faced a string of sexual harassment incidents — that she says started after she reported an "offensive" email. 

Boulais says that on March 11, 2022, Jason Parmelee, the City Controller of finances for the City of Warwick, came to the Water Division for a meeting, at which time he said hello to her before going into a meeting with other individuals. 

“At approximately 2:00 pm that day [Boulais] received an email from Parmelee after he had left the offices,” alleges Boulais in the lawsuit. “The email from Parmelee stated, “Hey there. I was just over there…I don’t think I ever realized how attractive you are. Super cute…well, have a great weekend haha!” 

“[Boulais] was offended especially since she had a fiancé, and all of her male coworkers and supervisors knew she had a fiancé,” the lawsuit states. “The comment in the email was both subjectively and objectively offensive.”

Boulais said she responded with an email, saying, “I gave no indication to you when you were here that sending me an e-mail like this, especially through a work e-mail, was acceptable. I find your comments extremely inappropriate, as well as, unprofessional. Moving forward this will not be tolerated.”

According to the lawsuit, Boulais “reported the email from Mr. Parmelee to her director, Mr. Terry DiPetrillo and her manager Mr. [Michael] St. Pierre.”

Boulais says that on March 14, 2022, the Monday after she reported the sexual harassment she had experienced by Parmelee to DiPetrillo and St. Pierre, that she received an email from her Director DiPetrillo in which he stated, “You look stunning,” according to the suit. 

Boulais says was “left in bewilderment and was very uncomfortable.”

“The following day, [Boulais] and other co-workers were gathered in the office of the Operations Aid, Peter Broomfield, discussing work-related matters,” according to the lawsuit. "Terry DiPetrillo entered the room and, in front of their coworkers, commented, “Bree, I believe I left my socks by your bedside.”

“Not only did the comment make [Boulais] feel disgusted and uncomfortable, but this comment was humiliating and made it seem, in front of her coworkers, as though she was having an affair with the director, a fact which was very untrue,” the lawsuit goes on to state. 

The lawsuit continues: 

"Terry DiPetrillo then proceeded to make another comment, to Richard Moniz, the Lead Meter Tech, which was even more significantly inappropriate, humiliating, and offensive. Terry DiPetrillo stated to Moniz, “[w]ant to come by Bree’s later and run a train on her?” according to the lawsuit.  "[Boulais] felt violated and humiliated by Mr. Terry DiPetrillo’s unwanted sexual comments."

 

Plaintiff Claims Retaliation - Supervisor Arrested on Separate Matter

Boulais says, following the alleged incidents, that she was retaliated against at the workplace, including by DePetrillo’s brother Michael DePetrillo — who, in one instance, she says, threw power tools at her as she approached her car. 

According to Boulais, she had tried to report the sexual harassment to Eric Earls and Steven Rotondo with the City of Warwick and says she was told the sexual harassment by DiPetrillo was “not relevant.” 

“At the end of November 2022, [Boulais] was called into Mr. Terry DiPetrillo’s office where [she] was suddenly informed that she would be suspended for failing to meet a deadline,” according to the lawsuit. “[Boulais] was confused as she had not missed any deadline.”

Boulais said she continued to face harassment by DiPetrillo and other coworkers into 2023, including a text from St. Pierre in which she says he told her “he’d developed feelings” for her; she says he then sent her a text the next day apologizing. 

The lawsuit goes on to detail an incident in August 2023, in which DiPetrillo was ultimately arrested for slapping an employee across the face — after DiPetrillo said “Do you want to hear my Nazi joke?” in front of several individuals. 

According to the lawsuit, DiPetrillo said, “Knock, knock?” And the employee said, “Who’s there?”  

“Before the words even left [the victim’s] mouth...DiPetrillo open palm slapped him across the face,” according to the suit. 

The employee in question is Jewish; Boulais says in the lawsuit she provided a statement to police regarding the incident. 

Court records show that following his arrest, the case against DiPetrillo was disposed. According to Boulais’ lawsuit, DiPetrillo was given a ten-day suspension by the city — and returned to work. 

Boulais said that on August 29, 2023, she called out sick — and began mental health treatment due to what she faced at work. 

 

Former Employee Claims Her Rights Were Denied

“On August 31, 2023, [Boulais’] therapist provided her with a note for a leave of absence, and [Boulais] then forwarded the note to the Personnel Department/HR,” according to the lawsuit. [Boulais] was never offered FMLA or the state equivalent. [She] believed not being offered FMLA was an interference with her rights for that federal and state benefit.”

“[Boulais] used all of her sick time and vacation time due to the distress leaders of her employer created for her due to their own sexual harassment and their retaliation against her following various reports of unlawful acts,” according to the lawsuit. 

“By October 11, 2023, [Boulais] felt she could not return to that extremely hostile environment where [Boulais] faced retaliation daily,” the lawsuit continues. “No reasonable person in [her] circumstances could have remained in that severely and pervasively hostile work environment.”

Boulais said she sent the City of Warwick a letter of resignation on October 11, 2023, specifying the allegations of harassment and retaliation that she faced. 

“As a direct and proximate result of her employer’s discriminatory actions, [Boulais] suffered and continues to suffer loss of income and earning capacity; loss of work-related benefits,  privileges, promotions, and status; experienced humiliation and loss of standing in the community; suffered and continue to suffer from extreme emotional distress and mental anguish resulting in physical injury; and suffered other injuries, all continuing to date,” according to the lawsuit. 

Boulais is suiting on two counts, including gender and sex harassment in violation of federal and state Civil Rights Acts and gender and sex retaliation under the RI Fair Employment Practices Act at the Rhode Island Civil Rights Act. 

She is seeking “back pay with interest, front pay, compensation for all other lost income and benefits, earning  capacity, and all other relevant entitlements and emoluments;” an “amount of money which will fairly  compensate her for his mental anguish, emotional pain and suffering, damage to her reputation,  loss of standing in the community, and other damages incurred;” and that “Defendant pay [Boulais'] costs and reasonable attorney’s fees resulting from this action.”

When reached for comment on Tuesday, Picozzi's communications director, Liz Tufts, said "It's a legal matter" and the city "can't comment at this time." 

 

This story was first published 6/18/24 1:46 PM