Two employees of the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office have filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court of Nevada alleging sexual harassment, hostile work environment, civil rights violations and destruction of evidence.

According to the complaint, filed Oct. 31, 2008 by the attorney for Amy Peterson and Anje Earl, county officials knew about the harassing actions against Earl and Peterson but “tolerated and, in effect, encouraged” the alleged harassment. District Attorney Dick Gammick “had personal knowledge of (the harassment) and minimized such,” according to the complaint.

Earl has been a full-time county employee for 10 years and Peterson for 22 years, and both currently work for the District Attorney’s Office. They have accused a co-worker, Jay Mannlein, of making “vulgar, mysogynistic statements” and of having a “propensity for threatening female employees.” When Earl and Peterson complained to the county about Mannlein’s behavior, they were punished, according to the complaint.

Among the alleged harassing actions were many gender-oriented derogatory terms, comments by Mannlein about starting a “women-haters club” and intimations at violence toward women. When Earl and Peterson took action in response to the alleged hostilities, they reported that retaliation occurred, including suspension and written discipline, constituting a hostile work environment, according to the complaint.

Gammick said Thursday he could not comment on the complaint as the litigation is still pending.

Earl and Peterson are still employed by the county as investigative assistants. Earl and Peterson are represented by Reno attorney Mark Mausert, who was previously involved in a sexual harassment case against Sparks City Attorney Chet Adams. Earl and Peterson are seeking that the court compel the county to enforce sexual harassment and hostile work environment policies, in addition to unspecified compensatory relief, punitive damages, special damages, attorney’s fees and other relief as deemed reasonable by the court.

Named as defendants are Washoe County, the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office, Cynthia Wyett, Marc Covington, Lidia Osmetti and 10 “John Does,” identified only as persons, corporations, partnerships, associations or some other entities responsible for the plaintiffs’ damages.

A hearing regarding motions pertaining to the complaint is scheduled for March 18.