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Former City of Portland Employee Files Federal Discrimination Suit

A former mechanic for the City of Portland is suing his former employer for gender and race discrimination in federal court.

Wieslaw Sobieraj alleges that co-workers at a city garage verbally abused him with slurs against his Polish ancestry and anti-gay epithets. He also alleges physical abuse at co-workers' hands.

In court filings, Sobieraj calls for reinstatement to his old job, back pay and punitive damages.

The city, which instituted its anti-harassment policy some 30 years ago, has denied the allegations. A settlement conference is set for next week.

A Columbia University graduate, Fred began his journalism career as a print reporter in Vermont, then came to Maine Public in 2001 as its political reporter, as well as serving as a host for a variety of Maine Public Radio and Maine Public Television programs. Fred later went on to become news director for New England Public Radio in Western Massachusetts and worked as a freelancer for National Public Radio and a number of regional public radio stations, including WBUR in Boston and NHPR in New Hampshire.