An envelope addressed to our newsroom recently arrived — not with holiday cards, but with copies of two lawsuits filed against the city of Palm Springs. The suits — one from September and one from November — accuse the city, senior police officials, and other named individuals of serious wrongdoing related to whistleblowing, workplace retaliation, and discrimination.
In the first case, plaintiff Julie Osborne claims she was working as a crime scene technician when she discovered repeated violations at the department. According to the filing, those violations allegedly included falsified chain-of-custody logs, broken evidence seals, and the use of expired rape kits. After she reportedly raised her concerns, she alleges no meaningful investigation was launched. Instead, she was demoted, paid late or not at all for hours worked, and subjected to harassment and retaliation. The complaint lists multiple legal claims including discrimination, emotional distress, and retaliation — all tied to her whistleblowing efforts. The complaint notes these are allegations and remain unproven in court.
The second lawsuit, from Charles Manley, centers on alleged age discrimination and retaliatory rehiring decisions. According to his complaint, he was laid off for purported budgetary reasons. After others — all younger — were hired to perform his job duties, the city allegedly claimed budget issues no longer existed, rehired him, then subjected him to a hostile workplace and retaliation....
As the Department of Justice (DOJ) has established its enforcement priorities over the last year, companies in regulated industries have worked to balance risk and react to the government’s areas o...