The City of Burley has settled a sexual harassment lawsuit with a former employee that has been ongoing for more than two years.
Burley settled with former wastewater worker Lindsey Yeaman last month, paying her $250,000 out of the city’s insurance policy according to a public records request.
Yeaman filed the suit in August 2021. She says her boss, Dee Hodges, sexually harassed her and retaliated when she rejected him.
Yeaman says she tried to report the harassment in 2020, but says former city administrator Mark Mitton told her he didn’t have time to hear the complaint because of an upcoming vacation to Hawaii.
The city hired an independent investigator in February 2020. After a six-day investigation, they determined there was no sexual harassment, but that Hodge’s behavior was “troubling.” Yeaman was fired shortly after.
In May, a federal judge denied the city’s request for summary judgment without a trial, saying a jury could have reasonably sided with Yeaman.
According to its employee database, Hodges and Mitton no longer work for the city.
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