Torres

BACKGROUND

Torres worked for many years as a juvenile detention officer (JDO) for County. The JDO position is the entry level job at juvenile hall; there were also unit supervisors and facility supervisors. Banks was a facility supervisor, two levels above Torres. In 2005, Torres was responsible for supervising a unit housing up to 30 juveniles during the graveyard shift, 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Torres normally reported to a supervisor who reported to Banks, but for a period of four to six months in 2005, Torres reported directly to Banks. Torres was at the top of his pay scale during the relevant time period and received satisfactory or good performance evaluations throughout his employment. He chose not to seek promotion and he was never suspended, demoted or terminated. In May 2005, Torres and nine other JDO’s lodged an administrative grievance against Banks. Among other things, the grievance said Banks ordered safety checks every 13 minutes instead of every 15 minutes as required by written policy; he did not follow protocol for assigning mandatory overtime; and he would not let them watch television or read books between 15-minute room checks even though there was no written…