Lopez-Canzano

INTRODUCTION

The trial court sustained without leave to amend the defendant‘s demurrer to the plaintiff‘s first amended complaint for gender and age discrimination and ordered plaintiff‘s complaint dismissed. The plaintiff appeals. We reverse.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL SUMMARY

In her original complaint, Yolanda Lopez-Canzano (Canzano) filed a complaint against the City of Los Angeles (City) and Carl Oschmann alleging causes of action for (1) discrimination in violation of the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), (2) defamation in violation of Civil Code section 47.5 and (3) retaliation. Following the City‘s demurrer, Canzano filed an amended complaint, asserting one cause of action for gender discrimination in violation of FEHA and a second for age discrimination under

FEHA.

According to her first amended complaint, at all relevant times, Yolanda Lopez- Canzano (Canzano), a female over the age of 40 (born in 1966), was employed as a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), which acted through its officer Carl Oschmann, a white male. (In her first amended complaint, Canzano defined the City of Los Angeles as the only defendant.) Following a career in the…