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Posted at 9:02 a.m., Wednesday, August 15, 2007

NBA: Ex-Grizzlies worker sues team, claims harassment

Associated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A former Memphis Grizzlies administrative assistant is suing the team for $3 million, claiming sexual harassment after her supervisor made several unwelcome sexual advances.

Breshetta Clark claims in the federal lawsuit that Carl Howard Parker, the team's engineering director, sought sexual favors while her husband was away on military duty.

Clark, who filed her claim in May, is seeking compensatory and punitive damages of $3 million against each defendant in the case — the Grizzlies and Parker, according to court documents.

The suit says the team's human resources department didn't address her repeated complaints and "nothing was done to stop the pornography, the jokes or the hostile environment" — which allegedly occurred from May 2005 to April 2006.

The Grizzlies have filed a response to the lawsuit denying its employees acted in the way described and that if "plaintiff's rights were violated, any such violations occurred outside the scope of its employees' employment or agency and without the consent of the defendant."

Clark also accused Parker of allowing sexually graphic content to be viewed on a computer in the engineering office and retaliating against her when she complained to team officials.

Clark's attorney, Kathleen L. Caldwell, said today that Clark worked in a "very hostile work environment."

"She was miserable and she has had significant health problems as a result," Caldwell said.

She said Clark has received disability payments since leaving the Grizzlies.

The lawsuit states Clark "has suffered and continues to suffer grand mal seizures, which have been a direct and proximate result of the work-related stress. She is permanently and totally unable to work."