The former state employee’s lawsuit alleged she followed orders from a supervisor when improperly entering a home as part of a child welfare investigation, then was the victim of retaliation by the state agency.

A jury Friday, March 6, found the Oregon Department of Human Services responsible for retaliating against a former child protective services worker.

Haylee Cramblit lost her job after an October 2022 investigation into the welfare of a 3-year-old child.

The jury — after four days of testimony and arguments in U.S. District Court in Eugene — awarded Cramblit $525,000 in lost wages and other economic damages plus $175,000 in noneconomic damages.

The Department of Human Services did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

In her lawsuit, Cramblit said she reported a supervisor who had instructed her to enter a small trailer in Lane County without permission from the resident, who was not home at the time, in order to take photos inside.

Cramblit and another worker entered the trailer. At the time, they were investigating a report of a boy living with his mother in the trailer. The boy was reportedly exposed to drugs in a home without running water or a functional toilet, according to court documents.

The Oregon Department of Human Services noted in court documents that the boy was not home and there were no circumstances considered “exigent” that required entry.

Cramblit alleged she followed instructions, but Department of Human Services disputed this account in...

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