Galveston Co. woman claims harassment forced her to resign from job

GALVESTON - A Galveston County woman claims "constant harassment" and a "hostile environment" compelled her to resign from her job with a local non-profit organization and is seeking damages. 

In recent court documents filed Feb. 18 in Galveston County District Court, Kelly Gavin accuses Pamela S. Froeschner and Robert S. Evans of "intentionally and recklessly, with extreme and outrageous conduct," causing her emotional distress while she was employed with the AIDS Coalition of Coastal Texas.

Gavin's former employer is not a party in the litigation.

The suit asserts the defendants, who were members of the Galveston AIDS Foundation Inc.'s board of directors, would visit the ACCT offices and verbally harass Gavin, stating they reportedly committed the acts in question "even in the presence of some of ACCT's clients."

It further explains that Gavin fielded complaints in response to the "totally unacceptable" actions to no avail as the organization's board of directors unsuccessfully blocked Froeschner and Evans's access to the plaintiff's workplace.

According to the original petition, the respondents were able to obtain new keys though ACCT changed the locks to the office building's doors as a measure to keep them away from Gavin.

The complainant adds the pair purportedly attempted to get her fired, but after their efforts failed, they continued their harassment until she "could take no more and resigned from her employment."

"The defendants' conduct was so outrageous in character, and so extreme in degree, as to go beyond all possible bounds of decency and could be regarded as atrocious and utterly intolerable in a civilized community," the suit says.

Consequently, Gavin seeks at least $100,000.

She is represented by attorney Kenneth C. Kaye of League City.

The case has been assigned to Galveston County 56th District Court Judge Lonnie Cox.

Case No. 13-CV-240