Delta Airline Employee Alleges Sexual Harassment Stress Forced Her To Take Medical Leave

TORRANCE (CBSLA) - A female employee of Delta Air Lines Inc. is suing the company, alleging she has been subjected to ongoing sexual harassment at work and that the carrier has ignored her complaints, causing her to become withdrawn and forcing her to take medication.

Christina Ramos' Torrance Superior Court lawsuit alleges sexual harassment, sex discrimination and failure to prevent discrimination, harassment or retaliation. She seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages in the suit filed Tuesday.

A Delta representative could not be immediately reached for comment.

Ramos was hired by Delta in June 2016 as a reserve ramp agent and about 90% of her co-workers were males, the suit states.

"Throughout plaintiff's employment ... (she) was subjected to discrimination based on her sex as well as humiliating sexual harassment at the hands of various co-workers and individuals in management," the suit states.

Ramos frequently heard sexually oriented comments about her appearance and parts of her body, the suit states. She often reported the "unsettling and discomforting behavior," but her complaints were ignored, the suit states.

"Despite (Ramos') repeated requests to her co-workers to stop, the inappropriate remarks continued," the suit states.

Ramos' colleagues also allegedly stared at her and touched her without her permission, causing her to feel "vulnerable, stressed, uncomfortable and anxious."

After Ramos brought one of her complaints, her manager instructed her to make a written statement about the incident, according to the suit. However, instead of investigating, the manager sent Ramos a written warning stating she was being coached about her poor working relationship with her co-workers, the suit states.

Management continued to do nothing about Ramos' protests and she obtained therapy in June 2019, then went on medical leave due to stress a month later, the suit states.

She subsequently filed a workers compensation claim against Delta for post-traumatic stress, anxiety, sleep disorder and depression, the suit states.