The former Hackensack clerk is suing the city, the former interim manager and all five City Council members for “in excess of” $2 million over claims they illegally retaliated against her and drove her out of her job because of her personal relationship with a political foe of the administration.
Debra Heck, who left the job in December, filed the lawsuit Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Newark. Heck said in the complaint that she resigned because of “hostile” and “intolerable” working conditions and intimidation by her superiors.
The alleged hostility began when council members learned that she was in a romantic relationship with Richard Salkin, a former city attorney who is aligned with the council’s political opponents, according to the lawsuit.
“The city had no problem with her job performance until it became publicly known she was engaged in a relationship with Rick Salkin,” said Heck’s lawyer, Jason Nunnermacker. “They continued to discriminate against her because of her perceived political affiliations and her relationship with him. They made her miserable.”
City attorney Thomas Scrivo did not return calls...
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