A former office manager of the Hebrew Academy’s car warehouse has named the San Francisco Jewish high school in a sexual harassment suit.
Maricela Tufo, 35, of Daly City, alleges that during her one month of employment at 645 14th Ave. this past spring, she was subjected to continual verbal abuse from warehouse manager Todd Morissey. The lawsuit names both him and the school.
Hebrew Academy resells donated cars to raise money, and keeps them in the warehouse
Tufo claims that not only did she tell the administration, but administrators at the school “personally witnessed it and failed to take any action, even to this day.”
Finally, after one month, Tufo said, Morissey physically assaulted her. She got away, she said, and never returned to work.
Tufo also alleged that her co-workers warned her about Morissey’s history of behaving questionably.
Tufo’s lawyer, Robert Lazo of Employment Lawyer’s Group, said they tried to settle out of court, and while talks took place, they failed.
“We’re seeking an unspecified amount, to be determined by a jury,” said Lazo, “for lost wages, lack of employment and the emotional stress from having to endure” this.
Lazo expects to go to trial in 2002.
Rabbi Pinchas Lipner, dean of the academy, declined to comment, referring the Bulletin to Hebrew Academy’s lawyer, Brian Dixon.
Dixon, of Littler, Mendelson, Fastiff, Tichy & Mathiason, said on behalf of his client, “The matter is in litigation; the Hebrew Academy will be vigorously defending its interests, and we believe its interests will ultimately be vindicated.”