Ventura County settles second sexual harassment suit against former CEO
Ventura County has settled a second sexual harassment lawsuit against it and former CEO Mike Powers, agreeing to pay the alleged victim $285,000.
The settlement agreement was signed by the parties April 14.
The plaintiff is a former executive with the Ventura County Health Care Agency who, in her 2023 lawsuit, alleged Powers sexually harassed her and got her ousted when she complained.
The suit named Powers, the county, the agency and the agency’s former director, Bill Foley, as defendants.
In March, the county finalized a settlement of another sexual harassment suit against it and Powers, agreeing to pay a second woman $3 million.
That plaintiff is a former county employee who alleged in her 2022 complaint that Powers, then her immediate supervisor, subjected her to sexual and racial harassment and discrimination from 2019 to 2021.
In both settlements, the county denies any and all allegations made by the two women against it.
The first woman’s allegations led to Powers’ resignation in March 2022, though he denied any wrongdoing.
Following his departure, Powers filed claims against the county for alleged wrongful termination.
