A former employee of a California car dealership has filed a lawsuit alleging severe workplace misconduct, including gender discrimination and sexual harassment. Jamie Portillo, represented by The Velez Law Firm, PC, lodged the complaint against Folsom Lake Ford in the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento on February 17, 2026.
The lawsuit paints a disturbing picture of the working environment at Folsom Lake Ford, where Portillo claims she was subjected to gender discrimination and sexual harassment by her co-worker Wayne Rice. According to the complaint, Rice’s behavior included ignoring Portillo’s work-related communications while engaging with other employees and making inappropriate sexual comments in her presence. The complaint further alleges that after reporting these incidents to her supervisor and HR manager Dawn Minton, Portillo faced retaliation rather than support. She was demoted to a less desirable position following her complaints and eventually terminated from her role on July 19, 2024.
Portillo’s legal team argues that Folsom Lake Ford violated several provisions of the California Government Code §12940 by failing to prevent discrimination and harassment in the workplace. The plaintiff contends that despite having policies in place against such conduct, the company did not enforce them effectively or provide adequate training to its employees. “Defendants failed to take all reasonable steps necessary to prevent discrimination, harassment and retaliation from occurring,” states the complaint.
In addition to seeking damages for lost wages and emotional distress, Portillo is pursuing punitive damages against Folsom Lake Ford for their alleged malicious conduct. The lawsuit also demands injunctive relief to ensure compliance with anti-discrimination laws moving forward. This case underscores ongoing challenges in addressing workplace harassment and ensuring accountability within corporate structures.
Representing Jamie Portillo are attorneys Mark P. Velez and Natalya V. Grunwald from The Velez Law Firm, PC. The case is presided over by Judge [Name Not Provided] under Case ID: 2A” OOS SoS.
Source: 26CV003595_Jamie_Portillo_v_Folsom_Lake_Complaint_County_of_Sacramento_California.pdf
