Lawsuit Claims Discrimination At Delco Emergency Services Under Boyce

DELAWARE COUNTY, PA — An employee of the Delaware County Emergency Services has filed a civil lawsuit against the county, alleging sex and age discrimination in the department under former director Timothy Boyce.

Joanne Fisher, 68, of Swarthmore, is accusing the county of favoring men and women Boyce found attractive for pay raises, benefits, opportunities, and treatment.

The suit calls the alleged actions "illegal sexual favoritism" and claims the county fostered an "illegal working environment" regarding Fisher.

Boyce, 60, of Drexel Hill, was charged with indecent assault, simple assault, and harassment in mid May. Boyce is scheduled for a July 17 preliminary hearing, court records show.

According to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Boyce called an employee to his office and kissed her on Jan. 30. When the employee pulled away and started to leave the office, Boyce then grabbed her buttocks and made a lewd comment, according to the AG’s office.

Before being charged, Boyce was fired after the Delaware County Council voted to remove him from his role. He was placed on administrative leave April 26 in the wake of allegations made by two people who claimed to have worked under him.

According to multiple reports, the two people filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The complaints allege Boyce favored some workers based on "sexist" personal preferences over experience, NBC10 reports.

And one of those two workers accused him of grabbing her buttocks and trying to kiss her in 2018, according to Fox 29.

Boyce later apologized to the woman via text message, per the Delaware County Daily Times.