Velasquez

FACTS

Because this is a substantial evidence appeal, we summarize the facts in the light most favorable to the judgment below. (McCoy v. Pacific Maritime Assn. (2013) 216 Cal.App.4th 283, 299 (McCoy).) Velasquez worked as a sworn peace officer and investigator in the Bureau, a branch of the County's district attorney's office, from 1987 until he resigned in December 2009. He began as an investigator, was promoted to senior investigator in 1992, and by 2004 was solely managing different investigatory units within the Bureau. In his performance evaluations between 2000 and 2006, Velasquez consistently received high marks as an investigator; lower marks as an administrator, due to late reports and inadequate communication with his supervisors; and an overall rating of "generally exceeds the standard" (a "4" on a scale of "1" to "5"). In April 2008, Velasquez testified in a deposition for a gender discrimination lawsuit brought against the County by one of his coworkers, Tammy Schweitzer (Schweitzer). His testimony recounted incidents of discrimination by Bureau supervisors against himself and others, and was generally critical of the Bureau. In the summer of 2008,…