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Beverly Hills – from www.bhcourier.com- A former Playboy employee who is suing for harassment didn’t want her alleged tormentor fired, a human resources worker testified today.

Julie Crouch, a former television master control operator for Playboy TV, sued Playboy Entertainment Group Inc. in March 2009, claiming a co-worker, Charles Dorn, harassed her, and that their supervisor, Chere Johnson, did nothing to stop him. They are also being sued.

Testifying today, human resources official Brenda Villa said she reprimanded Dorn and warned him to change his conduct even though Crouch considered him a friend and thought those steps were too harsh.

“She didn’t want him reprimanded or terminated,’ Villa said. “She thought things had gotten better and didn’t want to see him go.’ Villa also said she talked with Dorn about Crouch’s complaints.

During the interviews, he admitted using the “F’ word while asking her to be quiet, but insisted he was joking, Villa said.

Dorn denied Crouch’s allegations that he called her a derogatory word in German, Villa said.

Villa also said she decided it was premature to fire Dorn because of Crouch’s complaints. “I had to investigate further,’ Villa said.

Crouch maintains she has post-traumatic stress disorder because of the abuse she claims she took during 5 1/2 years at Playboy. She alleges Dorn used offensive language, made fun of her because of her extensive medical problems and told her he considered women inferior workers compared to men.

Crouch also says Dorn had a bad temper and kicked trash cans in anger.

She says she was fired in March 2008.

Through their attorneys, Dorn and Johnson have denied any wrongdoing.

They also say Crouch was laid off because the unit in which she worked was purchased from Playboy by Broadcast Facilities Inc., the company that now
employs Dorn and Johnson.

Villa said she called Crouch to tell her about the layoff and her benefits.

She testified she could not tell the woman in person because Crouch did not go to work that day.

“I think she was just surprised,’ Villa testified.

But before Crouch left, the company accommodated her numerous medical leaves of absence from the company, Villa said.

After Playboy obtained doctor’s notes in support of Crouch’s leaves, she was never questioned whether she really needed the time off, according to Villa.