Lorain/Elyria, OH
Lawsuit alleges harassment at VFW post
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The suit, filed by Attorney F. Benjamin Riek on behalf of Leslee Zadorozny of
The suit, which seeks compensation for her financial losses and the mental anguish she suffered, accuses Victor of groping her chest, slapping her rear and trying to kiss her.
According to the suit, Zadorozny complained to the post’s board of trustees and another manager in October 2006. She said she was told Victor’s behavior would improve, and it did for six months, the lawsuit said.
She complained again in January 2008 about Victor’s behavior toward a female patron and shortly thereafter she saw her hours cut and was told she would be fired, the lawsuit said.
Contacted Monday, Victor said he was shocked by the allegations and that he had never heard of any complaints against him.
“Maybe she’s looking to make a quick buck,” he said.
Victor did say that Zadorozny was “let go a couple times,” not because of any complaints she had made, but because of her inattentiveness to customers.
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This is the same man who harrassed and banned a member after the member complained about smoking at the post. Seems as though Mr. Victor is not a suitable example of a VFW member.
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Tipical comment from someone who “preys” on other people. Just him making a comment like that instead of saying HE DIDN’T do that let’s you know what type of mentality he has and probably did harrass that woman and plenty others…
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Sounds more like some disgruntled employees to me.
If she had the same problem two years ago, and then came back for more… hmmmn.
Sounds like the gal that screamed rape… after the check bounced.
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I know for a fact that the allegations agains Mr. Victor are true. He has the type of Mentality that goes with a lot of men from his generation, “women are to be looked at and touched, not heard”. He should have been raised back in the old days when women didnt have a voice. He will never admit to what he did to her, or anyone else for that mattr. He harrasses women that work there and visit that establishment continuely and noone has stopped him yet. I think it is about time that someone has finally done something that noone else had the balls to do. WAY TO GO LESLEE!! There are a lot of people out there that are very, very proud of you.
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I would just like to say that I know both parties of this suit and everything that Leslee has stated in her suit is correct, none of it is fabricated. I have been a witness to comments that Mr. Victor has said to her and other women in the club. It is not just single women that he victimizes. I understand that people are going to try to protect both parties in this case, however Mr. Victor is not innocent in this case. Leslee may not be a single mother, however, there are single mothers that he has made comments to. I do not believe that whether or not she is a single mother is the issue here, the issue is whether or not she was sexually harrassed by Mr. Victor. In the end, the truth will come out one way or another. No one knows all the facts in this case except for Leslee and Mr. Victor and Mr. Victor will try and deny all of the allegations against him. When and if this case does go to trial, everything will come but there are always 3 sides to a case, his side, her side, and the truth, whether it be this case or any other case. In the end the truth always prevails.
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I know both parties involved—for one thing whether one or the other is married, has a friend, or whatever, has nothing to do with this situation. This situation developed at their place of employment so let’s keep it there. Leslee is not the type of person to accuse someone if it were not true. Why would she put herself and others through that kind of stress. I too have witnessed John Victor over step the authority figure he is supposed to uphold for the club. (And I am ashamed for keeping silent) It is John Victor that is giving VFW a bad name. He should be banned from being a member of any club. So if you or someone you know were victomized in any way by John Victor come forward, let your voice be heard. Represent all women, especially those who are too frightened to speak out.
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I find it hard to believe a person that can’t be honest in her own marriage. If she can lie and cheat on a man she took vows with, how can we believe that she is being honest about anything else in her life? And yes, being a single mom is part of the issue as her attorney said….
“The suit, filed by Attorney F. Benjamin Riek on behalf of Leslee Zadorozny of Avon, alleges that after John Victor became the post’s leader, he began sexually harassing Zadorozny and other “single mothers who were dependent upon their jobs with the VFW as the sole support of their families.â€
And it is true that several other women working for Mr. Victor are very upset by the charges because they say that they have NEVER been harrassed by him, or anything else that would be considered sexual harrassment, and that he has never been anything but good to them, and it is a FACT that one employee at the VFW had major issues about working with Leslee, and that, in fact is alledgely why she was going to be terminated or have her hours cut. These other employess are upset that Leslee took it upon herself to throw them in her story.
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I guess you can fit other people in that catagory of being fired or quiting and then brought back, everyone has seen it, it’s not just Leslee.
It’s a shame things can’t be kept to the matter in hand. What Leslee did or didn’t do before is in the past, still does not give anyone the right to harass her, wonder what kind of skeleton’s we would find in someone elses closet. The purpose of “single mother” is just that people are afraid to say anything because that is there sole paychecks. I’d be afraid too. Soon the truth will come out and justice will be served. If the situation became uncomfortable and made Leslee scared she has every right to make a complaint.
Harassment is : Unwanted and Annoying actions of one party. I’d say John Victor fits that category to a tee.
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The single parent comment makes it sound as though every worker there that is a single mom is being harrassed and they are not…they are upset because she even made that statement without their knowledge. What gave/gives her the right to speak for them? And if this goes to trial, how is she going to feel when they speak in favor of Mr. Victor? And if she was so uncomfortable and afraid why did she go back to work there again? I am not hiding a thing in my closet. And what a person does in their life is a reflection of them, and she is with her boyfriend and married NOW….that is not in the past. You give the definition of harrassment:
Harassment is : Unwanted and Annoying actions of one party
Well her single parents line fits that definition to the women that are single moms working at the VFW….she put them right into this situation when they did not want it and it is annoying them…should they take her to court?
In the Chronicles article it comes across as she is a single mom, that she is being harrassed by Mr. Victor along with the other single moms there, when that in fact is just not true! She is a married woman , cheating on her husband, not a sinle mom fighting for her sole means of support, she has a husband and a boyfriend to help her out, whereas the REAL single moms employed at the VFW are standing behind Mr. Victor, not from fear, but because they honestly believe in the man he is and have never been harrassed by him…in any form.
Again I ask…how can we believe a person that cheats on their spouse and makes it sound like shes something not?
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I agree with s123456, what Leslee did in her past is not an issue with this case and should not be held against her. That was in her past and is she is getting unwanted comments, groops, pats or anything else from someone that is harrassment and is illegal and she has every right to file charges. If Mr. Victor had harrassed me that way, I would have done the same thing. I have witnessed the comments that were made to her in her place of employment and they were UNWANTED. As for whether or not she has a husband and a boyfriend is irrelavant to the case. If you know Leslee and consider yourself a friend and she considers you a friend then you know what is going on with her personal lilfe, that is noones business but hers. Leslee is a great person no matter what she may or may not have done in her past. Yes, Mr. Victor has harrassed singler mothers and if those single mothers do not want to bring charges against him that is their choice. I know for a fact that most single (and not single) mothers are working because they need that income and are afraid to bring charges for fear of losing the job they have. Lesless’s real, true friends no the truth about her and what type of person she is and those people support her in her decision to press the charges against Mr. Victor.
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I am copying and pasting the comment below:
Yes, Mr. Victor has harrassed singler mothers and if those single mothers do not want to bring charges against him that is their choice. I know for a fact that most single (and not single) mothers are working because they need that income and are afraid to bring charges for fear of losing the job they have.
Your doing it also, the single moms working at the VFW do not want to press charges and stand behind Mr. Victor because they have not been through what Leslee is saying happened to her..they are upset because of being lumped into the situation when they had no knowledge she was going to say these things. They are NOT afraid of losing their jobs and if you know these women, then you know for a fact that some of them would have NO FEAR at all about standing up for themselves or pressing charges if they were mistreated or harrassed in ANY form. And there are so many bars to work at so why go back to one if your afraid or being harrassed? Is it for the drama? The attention? If I was afraid of my boss, or being harrassed, well then I would not go back there to work again and again! And as a friend, if I saw or heard a man talking to or touching my friend in a harrassing manner…..well you bet your a** that I wouldn’t just stand there and not speak up for that friend!
And I have not said a word about what she did or didn’t do in her past….its the here and now that I bring up, because like I keep saying, if she can lie about some stuff, then how are we to believe her about this? And it is NOW that she made it sound like she is a single mom with no other means to support her children except for the VFW job…read the article the Chronicle wrote…wait I will copy it yet again….
The suit, filed by Attorney F. Benjamin Riek on behalf of Leslee Zadorozny of Avon, alleges that after John Victor became the post’s leader, he began sexually harassing Zadorozny and other “single mothers who were dependent upon their jobs with the VFW as the sole support of their families.â€
She makes it sound as though she is speaking for ALL the employees at the VFW that are single moms, when in fact some of the single moms there do NOT want her speaking for them at all, and are upset over that article in the paper making it seem as though they are standing behind Leslee on these charges and it does make it sound like she is a single mom dependent on that sole income to support her family, and that is where the information on her having BOTH a husband AND a boyfriend come into the truth factor about her.
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Wow, losing concept of situation here. The only person I have heard talk about “SINGLE MOTHER” (especially this much) is scooty. (And sorry that “single mothers” are offended) The two words that should be concentrated on is “SEXUAL HARASSMENT”. Nobody is concentrating on the single mother expression. Actually I haven’t heard too many people talk or say anything at all about this whole ordeal. Every day it disappears further and further from everyones minds (except those ones who are closely involved). Sorry people have to be hurt and become angry in situations like this but it does happen and people will be upset. All anyone wants is the truth to come out and if that means people that one works with have to answer questions so be it. That’s how you get answers. Nobody wants to see somebody dragged into a situation you have no control over especially when all you are trying to do is go to work and make a living. Maybe things will work out and nobody will have to take the stand. We can only hope! I am sorry that Scooty has so much anger and hatred toward Leslee, life is too short to live ones life like that. My last words in this case is “Wait til the end, time will tell”.
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Please re-read my comments, never once have I used the word hatred or anger. And I have used the words harrassement..sexual or otherwise in my comments also. And again I stand my ground on stating that Leslee had no right at all to speak for the other people she works with, if her case is solid, why does she have to drag the real single moms she worked with into her statement, without their knowledge? And why do I keep repeating the single mom issue? Because it shows that Leslee is not being 100% honest, I am not name calling or saying anything that is not the truth and have not said a single work in anger or hatred. I have just stated the facts as they stand and as they are printed in the Chronicle’s article. I am just stating facts as I see them.
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I have read the whole suit filed against the VFW and Mr. VIictor and there is only one little article listed in the suit that says anything about single mothers. The article the paper printed does not contain the whole 6 page suit that was filed with the courts. You are going by what the paper printed, maybe you should read the whole suit. Leslee has not lied about anything in her suit, she never said anything about being a single mother nor did she group together all single mothers. Leslee relys on her job at the VFW because she supports herself even though she is married she still supports herself. Leslee is not speaking for all single mothers nor has she stated that she is speaking for them, maybe you should speak to the reporter that posted the artcle and find out from him what the suit actually alleges against Mr. Victor and how it is worded.
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hmmm!!!
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obviously more than one side to this story
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Not too long before this whole harrassment thing came out Leslee insisted on giving John Victor a ride home after he had been drinking. There was other sober people there offering but yet she insisted. Why would she want to get into a car alone with a man that has harrassed and upset her so much that she had to file a lawsuit ??????
She has been laid off before because she was not doing her job. Her bosses including John Victor brought her back because she played the Im the only income card. It seems kind of suspicious that she waits until her job is in jeopardy again to file a lawsuit for harrassment that supposidly started 2 years ago. Its amazing how lawsuit crazy everyone is. NEED A JOB? File a lawsuit!!!!!
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The suit, filed by Attorney F. Benjamin Riek on behalf of Leslee Zadorozny of Avon, alleges that after John Victor became the post’s leader, he began sexually harassing Zadorozny and other “single mothers who were dependent upon their jobs with the VFW as the sole support of their families.â€
That is copied and pasted from the Chronicles article and clearly states that her attorney, ON HER BEHALF alleges that Mr. Victor began sexually harassing Zadorozny AND OTHER SINGLE MOTHERS….again I state the FACT that she is NOT single, and not only has a husband but a boyfrind also. So either the reporter, the Chronicle, and her attorney and the court records the reporter used are lying or she is because it clearly says he is sexually harassing her and other single mothers working at the VFW. So who are we to believe here?
And yes, if her attorney is speaking the truth, she did group all the single mothers together and it does sound like she is a single mom from the way her attorney spoke on her behalf, because he says
Zadorozny and other “single mothers ….
sure sounds like a single mom speaking herself for other single moms to me in that sentence.
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Yes the paper printed “The suit, filed by Attorney F. Benjamin Riek on behalf of Leslee Zadorozny of Avon, alleges that after John Victor became the post’s leader, he began sexually harassing Zadorozny and other “single mothers who were dependent upon their jobs with the VFW as the sole support of their families.â€
I will not deny that the paper printed that, however, if you read the whole law suit that was filed in the courts, you will realize that Leslee is the only one suing and is no speaking for “single mothers”.
“Single Mothers” or whether or not Leslee is single or married is not the issue of the law suit. The law suit is about being sexually harrassed. You need to read the whole law suit filed with the courts, the paper did not and cannot print the whole suit. There may be single mothers that work at the VFW that have not been harrassed by Mr. Victor, however, LESLEE has been or she would not have filed the suit to begin with.
As for her insisting the she be the one to take him home, i will never believe that because she would call his wife to come and get him. She is not going to put herself into a situation where she is alone with a man she does not want to be around.
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Again, I will make this statement…how can we believe Leslee when she isn’t being 100% honest? She was NOT allegedly losing her job because of compaints she had made, she was allegedly going to have her hours cut or be fired because of complaints AGAINST her.
I can’t say about her giving Mr. Victor a ride home, but the person that made that comment states that there were others there, so there must be witnesses to that statement, I can’t say for sure though. But, why would she keep working at the VFW with Mr. Victors if she didn’t want to be around him? There are plenty of other places to get jobs and if she wanted to tend bar or wait on tables, well those jobs are easy to come by, so why stay at the VFW if she was being harrassed? And yes it does make a difference to her character and how people see her when they know that she is married and has a boyfriend, and has for a while now, but comes across as trying to look like a single mom dependent on that job as her sole means of support. And she has done that before this law suit was even filed. And like wouldnt u like 2 no said…It seems kind of suspicious that she waits until her job is in jeopardy again to file a lawsuit for harrassment that supposidly started 2 years ago.
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I wouldnt say something if it wasnt true. The statement that I made about her offering John Victor a ride home is true. I was there and saw it with my own eyes. I dont need anyone to belive me. This whole situation puzzles me…. It says that she complained to others about his actions (OVER A YEAR AGO)in Oct.of 06, and his actions improved for 6 months. That makes it April of 07. She was laid off because of complaints made AGAINST her in the beginning of summer of 07. Is that when he started harrassing her again, when she got laid off. Still kind of suspicious to me!!! She has a problem with doing and keeping her job, then all the sudden shes being harrassed. Look out girls, if this one doesnt work she might come after you next!!!!
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I was there when the harrassment started again, i witnessed it with my own ears and eyes. She was not in fear of losing her job when this started again. She did complain about the harrassment and he did stop for a while.
What I want to know is how you and scooty know this supposed personal information that is supposed to be only privy to officers and canteen managers unless you are one of them or an employee that should NOT be knowing this information anyway. So which is it?
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I am not an officer, I am not a canteen manager, and I am not an employee at the VFW.
Do you honestly think that the customers don’t hear and see what is going on there and not talk about it to others? Such as just shortly before she filed these charges against Mr. Victor she told more than one customer that she needs money to buy a new Harley? Is she suing for enough to purchase a new Harley? And how about the poker run? She did that with her boyfriend, her boyfriend spends alot of time with her, so thats sure not private or personal information. Do you honestly believe that things she tells her friends isn’t being repeated to others? Well, it is being repeated.
If a person is going to sue someone, then that person should make sure they have nothing they want kept private or personal to hide, because it all comes out. And you should always be honest because lies catch up with you sooner or later. I have said NOTHING that is not known to more than just employees, managers or officers at the VFW. BUT….have to ask the same of you, are you an employee, officer or manager there, because you seem to know everything I know? And wouldn’t u like 2 no says she SAW AND HEARD these things, just the same as you say you did. Leslee has NEVER tried to hide very much, and she has used the single mom, sole support line before this suit also, so its no secret she lied about that more than once either.
And customers HAVE complained about her, just like the people she works with, thats no big secret either, ask them. What did I comment on that I shouldn’t have been “privy” to?
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I am neither an officer, canteen manager, nor employee of the VFW either. I know certain things because Leslee and I are friends.
The conversation you say you heard, about Leslee wanting to buy a “NEW HARLEY”, you did not hear all of the conversation or only want to pick out bits and pieces and turn them around. People who love to ride motorcycles want them for themselves; however, Leslee does not even have a bike license and would not waste money on something so meaningless right now.
You must know who “wouldn’t u like 2 no” is since you referred to her as “she”.
The only thing I want to say, and this will be my last posting because this is just getting old and meaningless, is that Leslee has not lied about this law suit against the VFW and Mr. Victor. You and anyone else can think what you want about Leslee but her real, true, honest friends will and do know the truth about what is going on with her in her life. The truth will come out in the end; it does most of the time. I will continue to stand behind Leslee no matter what happens because I know in the end, the truth will come out.
The VFW has become nothing more than a “Soap Opera”, Leslee is not the first person that has had a boyfriend and is married, and how many of the barmaids have dated married men or how many of the married barmaids have had boyfriends? It happens more often then people want to admit but because Leslee choose not to put up with the sexual harassment that she was receiving she is being pegged as a liar. There are a lot of people there that have cheated on their spouses or messed around with married people. Her having a boyfriend is not an issue of the law suit. As I keep saying, the only thing that is an issue is the sexual harassment. If you chose not to believe, that is fine, you have your opinion and others have their opinions.
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“I am neither an officer, canteen manager, nor employee of the VFW either. I know certain things because Leslee and I are friends.”
So she is an employee there telling you things….so whats the difference if you know and I know the same things? If its supposed to be “privy” shouldn’t neither of us know?
“The conversation you say you heard, about Leslee wanting to buy a “NEW HARLEYâ€, ”
Did I say I HEARD? I don’t believe I did, I SAID customers heard. I may or may not be a customer there, don’t jump to conclusions and say something that you don’t know to be a FACT.
“You must know who “wouldn’t u like 2 no†is since you referred to her as “sheâ€. ”
No I do not know who this person is, I just used she instead of he, for all I know it could very well be a man instead of a woman. And you just referred to this person as “her” so do you know who wouldn’t u like 2 no is? And what difference would it make if I did know? Do not just assume that people commenting on here know each other, for all you know….I might just know who you are but I am not asking if you know me, or if you know anyone else that has commented on here. That just dosn’t really even matter.
“she is being pegged as a liar”
She is not BEING pegged, she is bringing being called a liar for portraying herself as A SINGLE MOM and she has done this more than once BEFORE this sexuall harassment charge came about.
“You and anyone else can think what you want about Leslee ”
I don’t think to much about Leslee, just about what she is doing to Mr. Victor, and his family, and how she has been in the past, and how she is now is a reflection on the kind of person she is, you can be the nicest person in the world but still make things up to make yourself look good or seem like something you are not, to get things you want or need.
And it dosn’t matter what the other people working there are doing, they are not the ones that are going public trying to be something they are not. Further more, as adults we shouldn’t try to play the “well she/he did it too” game….
“this is just getting old and meaningless,”
wow…how can you say this is meaningless if she has been sexually harassed?
And why does everyone just focus on my saying she is cheating on her husband, why not some of the other FACTS such as people not wanting to work with her, or customers complaning about her? Or why she was going to alledgely be fired or have her hours cut, or why all the dates are adding up to it not being true as wouldn’t u like 2 no says?
And I find it hard to believe that Mr. Victor would grope, pat, or say sexuall harassing comments to someone in front of other people, or that he would only pick Leslee to harass when there are several other people working for him that are just as attractive if not more so than Leslee. Why did he only harass her? And I also find it hard to believe he would sexually harass the customers in front of others also, and they didn’t complain.
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THIS IS MY FINAL POSTING!!
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.
Sexual harassment can occur in a variety of circumstances, including but not limited to the following:
The victim as well as the harasser may be a woman or a man. The victim does not have to be of the opposite sex.
The harasser can be the victim’s supervisor, an agent of the employer, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or a non-employee.
The victim does not have to be the person harassed but could be anyone affected by the offensive conduct.
Unlawful sexual harassment may occur without economic injury to or discharge of the victim.
The harasser’s conduct must be unwelcome.
That is what is the issue here, nothing else.
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That is NOT the only issue here, Mr. Victors reputation is a big issue here, and weather or not he did the things Leslee is accusing him of is also an issue here, just because someone SAYS something does NOT MAKE IT TRUE, and with Leslee’s history its hard to believe things she says, especially when there are questions being asked and not answered. The issue here is she is accusing him of sexual harassment and people are questioning her honesty in what she says happens because there are things that just don’t add up in her favor, and to many times women are crying sexual harassment to get what they want, or to get attention, or to get something, like money out of it. Everything is NOT what the definition of it says in the dictionary. The real issue here IS did he or didn’t he, and THAT is what people are wondering, given Leslee’s past and present choices in her lifestyle, its hard to believe her. Accusing a man of sexual harassment and making it public ruins that man’s life, marriage, job, etc. even if he is proven innocent, That is a major issue here! This is NOT a one sided story, or one little issue….its not ALL about Leslee. And if all you can come up with is defintions, or trying to figure out if wouldn’t u like 2 no is a man or a woman, or who I am, or how I seem to know what you seem to know, even if we shouldn’t be “privy” to this stuff, well then I guess this will be your final comment because you have said it all without answering the questions I have made asked such as What did I comment on that I shouldn’t have been “privy†to? Its been very educational hearing from you with your definitions.
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