BURLEY, Idaho — A woman from Burley says the job she once loved became hostile after she returned from maternity leave, and she is now sharing her story exclusively with Idaho News 6 as new data shows a rise in workplace discrimination claims across the state.
Hannah Jones says she has worked as a deputy at the Mini-Cassia County Criminal Justice Center for over three years and enjoyed the job before returning from leave.
“It was humiliating and it seemed really discrediting,” Jones said.
WATCH: Burley deputy details hostile workplace claims after having child
Jones said she initially had a positive experience at work.
“I love my job. I have gotten to meet a ton of really cool people,” she said.
She said that quickly changed after she returned from maternity leave, when she began hearing comments about breastfeeding.
“I came back and it was only almost immediate that I started getting some pretty embarrassing comments about me breastfeeding and me having to go to the bathroom to go pump,” Jones said.
Jones said supervisors made repeated comments in front of others.
“They would make comments about how I was a cow and … they would actually make mooing noises at me as I was walking through the hallways and stuff as well in front of inmates and other agencies,” she said.
She also described a more explicit comment from a supervisor.
“One of my male supervisors claimed that he thought I should have responded to a fight with my ‘titties' out,’” Jones said.
Jones said when she reported the behavior, she felt it was not taken seriously and that she later experienced retaliation.
“I just felt like it wasn't taken seriously at all,” she said.
She said she filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Idaho Human Rights Commission, which she says found in her favor.
Jones has since filed a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and gender discrimination, detailing the same claims she shared with Idaho News 6.
“I started experiencing what I believe to be retaliation … and that's the point that it kind of got to be too much,” she said.
Her case reflects a broader trend, according to the Idaho Human Rights Commission.
“In the last year, we've seen a doubling of the reports of discrimination,” said Ben Earwicker, administrator for the Idaho Human Rights Commission.
Earwicker said the increase includes cases involving pregnancy and motherhood.
“So postpartum is protected, breastfeeding … reasonable accommodations for those, including private spaces to breastfeed, including time off as needed,” he said.
He said retaliation is also a common claim.
“Retaliation is a much easier claim to prove because usually there's temporal proximity where the initial reporting of discrimination occurs followed almost immediately by some kind of retaliatory action,” Earwicker said.
Jones said the experience has changed how she views her career and worries it could discourage other women from entering law enforcement.
“I feel my heart break for women that are coming into the force, knowing that that's probably going to happen to them too,” she said.
Jones’ lawsuit is ongoing. The legal firm representing the Cassia County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to a request for comment.
