TRAVERSE CITY - The Former Corrections Officer, Rachel Bender, is claiming that other employees at the Grand Traverse County Jail were sexually harassing and discriminating against her.
Rachel Bender began working for The Grand Traverse County Jail as a corrections officer in august of 2023.
In a statement, bender’s attorney, Collin Nyeholt says those who hired her, sang her praises.
“Before she even started as a corrections officer, the lieutenant who completed Ms. Bender’s background investigation wrote that “Rachel is a determined go-getter and, and all believe that she will be a great corrections officer.” but she never got to find out how “great” a corrections officer she could be, not because of any shortcoming on her part, but because she refused to tolerate sexual harassment and discrimination by other officers...”
Once bender started on the job, she claims in the lawsuit, that she was experiencing sexual harassment and discrimination in the jail. Bender says she suffers from anxiety, depression and a panic disorder. She claims these situations lead to her mental decline.
After taking an administrative leave she says there was a rumor about her having sexual relations with a sergeant at the jail. She also says she was on the receiving end of lewd comments made by other male corrections officers. Bender says she let the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office know and asked to be reassigned, but she never was. She says the harassment continued.
Bender also claims she was told to go to the doctor without notice for a ‘fitness for duty evaluation’. She says she reached out to HR and they did not know about this.
Bender says she was told she had to go from other higher-ups and on her way she began to have a panic attack.
In the state released by Bender’s attorney, he goes on to say, “Her superiors had numerous opportunities to do the right thing, by taking her seriously when she reported this and putting a stop to it. Instead, when she complained, they came back against her, eventually firing her. This cost her dignity, her emotional wellbeing, and a career she loved. We hope that this lawsuit will help to right this wrong, and to prove to those responsible that the law applies to them as well.”
9&10 News also reached out to Grand Traverse County Sheriff Michael Shea. He released this short statement to us.
“our employees are the foundation of what we do and our greatest assets and we will cooperate with the case as it comes.”
In the lawsuit, Bender is asking a jury to grant her nominal damages as part of her claim the County and Sheriff violated her civil rights.
To view the full lawsuit click here.