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Women In Sheriff's Dept. Harassment Suit Fired

EL DORADO HILLS (CBS13) -- The two women who filed lawsuits against the El Dorado County Sheriff's Department that alleged sexual harassment from the department's "boys club" have been fired.

Deputy Tanya Hunt and Community Service Officer Nicole Sahaj-Myer said they filed the lawsuit in October 2009 after experiencing and witnessing unwanted advances and mistreatment of women because they are single or stand up to their superiors.

Just a few days ago, both women learned they had been fired.

"It's still shocking when it happens, but I expected it," Hunt said.

In Hunt's termination letter, Sheriff Fred Kollar wrote that the deputy's actions made the department look bad, and that she failed to do her job and follow orders.

"Everything on that paper is very confusing, and it looks to me like excuses," Hunt said.

The Sheriff claimed Sahaj-Myer simply abandoned her job, but she says she has been on medical leave since January and has the doctor's notes to approve it.

Attorney Douglas Watts called the firings a "blatant" response to the women's lawsuit.

"I've never seen anything like this," Watts said. "It's clearly tied to Sheriff Kollar leaving office, and he feels like he's untouchable."

Sheriff Kollar made the terminations nearly impossible to fight because the appeal process goes right back to him.

The two women say they hope the newly elected Sheriff, John D'agostini, will get rid of the "boys club" and clean up the department.

Repeated attempts to contact Sheriff Kollar on Wednesday were unsuccessful.

Deputy Hunt's last day on the job is five days before Christmas.

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