Claims of civil violations cost state $1 million a year

Thursday, June 13, 2002 | 9:35 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- The state has paid out an average of $1 million a year to people who claim their civil rights have been violated, the most costly among them sexual harassment cases by state workers.

Stan Miller, tort claims manager for the state, said since the beginning of 1996 the state has spent $5.9 million clearing up 140 civil rights claims. The total included court judgments and out-of-court settlements.

Twenty-six were for sexual harassment at an average cost per year of $269,923, Miller told the state Board of Examiners Tuesday. The average cost per claim was $42,242.

He said most of the harassment complaints originate in agencies that were traditionally male-dominated, such as the state Transportation Department and the Nevada Highway Patrol.

Miller and his boss Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa urged Gov. Kenny Guinn to put more money in his next budget to train supervisors in state government.

"We've got to concentrate on prevention," Del Papa said. "The alternative is much more expensive."

Sue Dunt, state risk manager, told the board that a problem in handling the civil rights complaints is "we don't act quick enough." She said the state must intervene earlier in these cases with such things as mediation.

Although there is a $50,000 cap on state liability, that limit doesn't apply to civil rights cases, which are brought against the state by its employees or by prison inmates.

Miller said two workshops are being planned June 20 in Las Vegas and Carson City to stress the importance of reducing these types of claims. He said he hopes the Legislature will provide enough money to make these classes annual.