Beginning in 2014, plaintiff Santosha Padfield, who worked for the Contractors State License Board, allegedly began to be harassed by her manager at the Valencia office, Steven Skogebo. Padfield claimed that two months after she transferred to the Valencia office, Skogebo began to continually harass her and that when she rejected his advances, he retaliated against her. Padfield sued Skogebo and the Department of Consumer Affairs, Contractors State License Board. Padfield alleged that Skogebo’s actions constituted sexual harassment and retaliation, creating a hostile work environment, and that the Department of Consumer Affairs was liable for Skogebo’s actions. Padfield claimed that Skogebo made inappropriate remarks regarding her appearance and that he would say that he wanted to marry her. She also claimed that Skogebo suggested that they have sex in the office by telling her that were alone in their area. She further claimed that Skogebo massaged her shoulders at her desk and touched her thigh and that after she rejected his advances, Skogebo began to criticize her work and denied her time off from work. Padfield claimed that Skogebo’s harassing and retaliatory conduct continued until she took a leave of absence and then left her job position in 2017. Padfield claimed that the Department of Consumer Affairs did nothing to stop Skogebo’s behavior and that Skogebo eventually retired from the department., Padfield claimed that she suffered emotional distress as a result of the harassment and retaliation. She contended that as a result, she took a leave of absence and eventually left her job position. Padfield claimed she did not complain about Skogebo’s behavior sooner because she did not want to make her work environment more stressful, subject herself to retaliation, or be humiliated if nothing changed. Padfield sought recovery of lost earnings and damages for her emotional pain and suffering.