A former Town of Tonawanda employee who claimed he was subjected to anti-Semitic slurs by a co-worker and then suffered retaliation after complaining to a supervisor has agreed to a $15,000 payment from the town.
The Town Board has approved the settlement for Patrick Raderman, who filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against the town and its Water Resources Department.
During the 16 months that he worked for the department, Raderman claimed, he was harassed by a co-worker who called him a “Jew crybaby,” among other things, and told him that he should “burn in the oven.” After complaining to a supervisor, Raderman claims he was “blackballed.”
The settlement with the town, though, states: “It is understood and agreed to by the parties that this settlement is a compromise of a doubtful and disputed claim, and the payments are not to be construed as an admission of liability on the part of the defendants or those released.”
The town had denied all liability and allegations.
Though the settlement contains a confidentiality clause, the town provided a copy to The Buffalo News in response to a Freedom of Information Law request.
“The town has no further comment on it,” said Deputy Town Attorney John W. Dorn.
“We’re pleased the matter has been resolved,” said Raderman’s attorney, Lisa A. Poch of Chiacchia & Fleming LLP.
In the lawsuit, Raderman claimed that after he complained, other people were promoted or transferred to full-time status. And when he asked why he was being overlooked, he said he learned that the now-former co-worker who had harassed him allegedly was connected to Councilman Daniel J. Crangle.
When he approached Crangle on two occasions in late 2009, Raderman complained, the councilman told him that he would never work full time for the town.
“I don’t even know this individual,” Crangle said last week. “That statement was never made.”
Raderman was fired a week after his attorney notified town officials that his retaliation claims would be pursued in federal court, the lawsuit states.

email: jhabuda@buffnews.com