Ex-Boss Demanded Sex, D.C. Parks and Recreation Workers Say

In her complaint, Byrd says she initially reported Thompson to a female supervisor, who told her to just tell him to stop.

"The touching progressed to the point where the Chief began asking for sex and when I refused, he threatened me by saying he would not extend my 13-month employment for another term," Byrd said in her complaint.

In an interview, Byrd alleged that Thompson called her into his office and showed her a termination letter.

"He asked me what was I willing to do to stay," and they then had intercourse on his desk, Byrd alleged, crying as she related the story. "I thought it would be one time and that I'd have a job and that would be the end of it."

Thompson, she alleged, began to demand a variety of sexual favors. He promoted her to a job as a clerical assistant, with a salary of $33,500 a year, even though she had no secretarial training. On Thompson's orders, she said, she spent more and more time in his office, fueling rumors that she was his girlfriend. That impression spread among co-workers when word got around that he had given Byrd $3,000 to buy a car.

She said that she did not ask for the money and that Thompson said nothing when he handed her the cash in an envelope outside the Half Street building. Thompson, she alleged, had been accused of sexually harassing another woman at work. Byrd said she regarded the cash as "hush money" so that she would not report him.

By last spring, Byrd said in an interview, she had begun refusing Thompson's sexual demands, and he showed her another termination letter. She said she discussed her problems with another supervisor, Julie Banks.

"She told me he had been threatening to fire her if she didn't have sex with him," said Banks, who urged Byrd to report Thompson.

On April 5, Byrd went to the department's headquarters on 16th Street NW and filed a complaint. That day, she was handed a letter that said she had received her "first and final" interview on her complaint, with no indication that anything would be done about it. The next day, she filed a complaint with the Office of Human Rights.

"You come into the workplace to get training and instead you get abused," said Gary T. Brown, an attorney for Byrd who also represents Burns. He said as welfare-to-work women, both were particularly vulnerable.

Burns, now 28, started at the agency in 2000. She said she began having problems with Thompson in 2002 after she became pregnant and he transferred her to clerical duties in his office. She said she complained to a male supervisor that Thompson was touching her inappropriately, but the behavior continued.

On April 30, 2002, Burns said, Thompson cornered her in his office, grabbed her left breast and tried to kiss her. She said she fled in tears. The next day, she said, she went to headquarters and met with Albert and Stanley. She was placed on administrative leave, then transferred to an office away from Thompson. She said she heard nothing more about her complaint.