Jul 1, 2013 3 min read

A woman who sued the city of Washington claiming she lost her firefighting job because of her gender has received $365,000 in an out-of-court settlement.

The federal lawsuit against the city by Victoria H. Bozic was settled May 9. However, the amount of the settlement was not immediately disclosed, allowing time for all parties to sign the agreement. The Observer-Reporter ultimately had to file a right-to-know request with the city to obtain the information.

Of the $365,000, Bozic will receive $157,161 in lost wages and another $52,387 for physical injuries, sickness or emotional distress.

The remaining $155,450 will settle her attorneys’ fees and costs. Also, under the agreement, Bozic agreed to not seek future employment with the city.

Bozic had filed a complaint in U.S. District Court for the Western District alleging violations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

A twist in the case involved former city solicitor Lane Turturice, who testified he had misplaced, disposed of or taped over an audiotape of a 2009 hearing he held with Bozic to discuss her work performance.

However, Turturice located the tape in January of this year. When he informed the court, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Hornak stopped the proceedings, instructed Turturice to have legal representation and said he could face perjury charges.

It is not known if those charges could still be forthcoming now that the case between the city and Bozic is settled. Turturice’s attorney, Laura Gutnick, was out of the office Monday and not expected back until next week.

Four days after the settlement was agreed upon, a special city council meeting was held, at which time Turturice’s resignation was accepted and a new solicitor was hired.

Mayor Brenda Davis said Monday the city hopes it may be able to recoup some of the money paid in the settlement. She said city officials are consulting with their current solicitor, Jack Cambest, to determine their options.

Cambest said a portion of the financial agreement involves the city’s insurance carrier, but he was unsure of the amounts.

Bozic had first applied to be a city firefighter in 2007 and, in a charge of discrimination filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, claimed she was passed over because she was a woman and pregnant at the time. In response, she was the next firefighter hired.

After a period of six months, Bozic’s job performance was questioned, and city officials said they also discovered she had lied about moving in order to comply with the city’s residency requirements.