Gender Discrimination

Female police chief's gender discrimination claim denied

MILWAUKEE (AP) - The state Equal Rights Division has dismissed a gender discrimination claim filed by the city's first female police chief.

Former Chief Nannette Hegerty filed a claim in March saying she was paid less than her predecessor and replacement because she was a woman.

“There is no probable cause to believe the City of Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission violated the Wisconsin Fair Employment Law,” according to the letter dated Friday from Equal Rights Supervisor James Drinan.

New Chief Edward Flynn received a starting salary of $143,881. Hegerty was paid $135,195 when she retired in November after a four-year term. Hegerty argued the commission raised the salary more than city policy allowed for Flynn.

But Drinan noted the city changed its policy when Hegerty was retiring, and it always allowed raises for recruitment purposes.

Hegerty also argued it took more than three years for her to be paid more than her predecessor, Arthur Jones, despite a better job performance. But Drinan noted Hegerty's starting salary was about $17,000 more than Jones' starting salary and it was determined in the same manner as previous male chiefs. Drinan also noted her raise rates were standard annual increases.

Hegerty does not plan to appeal, her attorney John Fuchs said. She has a very steady personality and her reaction was “matter of fact,” he said.

“She only brought the matter because she wanted to both bring to light and possibly remedy the fact that whatever the reasons that Milwaukee gives - and even if they are legally sound - the fact of the matter remains that her male predecessor and male successor were paid disproportionally to her,” Fuchs said.

Drinan also dismissed complaints related to the setting of Hegerty's wages. They were untimely since the decisions were made 300 days before the complaint date, he said.

Don Schriefer, assistant city attorney, called Drinan a highly qualified investigator.

“We believe that the decision and the conclusions reached in this case are right on the money,” he said. “We expected this result.”

Arthur Jones - the city's first permanent black chief - filed two federal lawsuits accusing the city of racial discrimination and retaliation. A judge later ruled his claims lacked evidence. Jones was chief from 1996 to 2003. His ending salary was $132,130.