Long Island Coalition for the Homeless employee files federal lawsuit alleging sexual harassment, retaliation
The Long Island Coalition for the Homeless building in Amityville. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
An employee of the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless has filed a federal lawsuit against the nonprofit and two of its top leaders, alleging discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation for speaking up.
Coalition street outreach worker Samantha Grimaldi, of Suffolk County, is seeking $40 million in the lawsuit, alleging that associate director Michael Giuffrida made "inappropriate" advances and began sexually harassing her soon after she was hired in October 2022. Grimaldi also alleges Giuffrida and executive director Greta Guarton created a hostile environment, especially after complaints about Giuffrida's alleged "predatory behavior," and that the coalition failed to pay Grimaldi overtime as legally required. The suit was filed Oct. 17 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
"As a direct result" of her treatment at the coalition, Grimaldi "has suffered a loss of income, injury to her career and continues to suffer emotional distress, damage to her mental health, humiliation, embarrassment, great financial distress and severe damage to her reputation," the lawsuit says.
Both Guarton and Giuffrida declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Grimaldi's lawyers said in an email that her "federal complaint describes a pattern of discrimination practiced at the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless in violation of the United States and New York Constitutions."
"The result is that our client, a once homeless woman with two children, who relies upon the Coalition for housing and employment, has been stripped of her civil rights," said Woodbury-based attorney Geoffrey Mott, who is representing Grimaldi. "Ms. Grimaldi feared losing her job and the home she provides for her two children if she complained. She had effectively been silenced."
On Aug. 2, Grimaldi filed a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a federal agency that investigates discrimination in the workplace. The agency granted her the right to sue on Aug. 15.
Grimaldi was placed on paid administrative leave "per the instructions of counsel" for the coalition at the end of August, and the leave continued until Oct. 17, according to the suit. Grimaldi's lawyers said she has resumed work.
The EEOC declined to provide further details, citing federal confidentiality laws.
The Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, based in Amityville and registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a nonprofit since 1987, is an advocacy group that provides resources to homeless people in the area. The organization employed 46 people in 2022 and had 100 volunteers, according to the coalition's publicly available 990 tax form. The tax form also indicates Guarton received a compensation of at least $154,906 and Giuffrida $111,503.
Grimaldi started working at the coalition a few months after she became homeless in July 2022, when she started living with her two children in a camper she had purchased during the COVID pandemic, according to the lawsuit. Her responsibilities included "speaking with homeless individuals and providing information and resources to help them find shelter and health services," according to the lawsuit, which added she "excelled" despite a lack of "job description or formal training." The coalition paid Grimaldi around $43,000 per year, according to her attorneys.
The lawsuit alleges Giuffrida initially attempted to help Grimaldi by offering his unfinished basement as a place to stay and pushing through a referral for a local housing program she did not qualify for — efforts that left her feeling "indebted" to him. Grimaldi declined to move into Giuffrida's basement, the lawsuit adds.
This “ultimately set the stage” for Giuffrida to “employ his power” over Grimaldi, the suit alleges, “as he made it clear ... that without him, [Grimaldi] would not have housing for herself and her children.”
According to the lawsuit, Giuffrida insisted on going on assignments alone with Grimaldi, where he made multiple “inappropriate overtures” and allegedly told Grimaldi “it would be hard for him to maintain professional control while working so closely with her.”
Grimaldi was hesitant to report Giuffrida's advances because she feared she’d lose her job, especially because there was no human resources department she could turn to at the time, the suit says.
According to the suit, the coalition did not pay Grimaldi or other workers for overtime hours, which Guarton instructed her to record as “volunteer hours.” Any hours beyond 35 hours per week are considered overtime, the suit says.
The state Department of Labor has not recorded any complaints involving the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless.
Grimaldi eventually confided in "several coworkers" about "the harassment" from Giuffrida, according to the lawsuit. One reported to Guarton the "inappropriate behavior" he had observed, the suit says, and was later fired.
Giuffrida also allegedly retaliated against Grimaldi by assigning her to perform street outreach alone, an “extremely dangerous” situation against coalition practices, according to the lawsuit.
Grimaldi was uncomfortable being alone with Giuffrida during field work, the lawsuit says.
Grimaldi confronted Giuffrida about his "inappropriate behavior" and "isolating" her from coworkers, prompting Guarton to launch an investigation into their relationship and then subject Grimaldi to "harassment and aggressive behavior," such as removing her "work responsibilities" and "posting job openings" similar to her position, the suit says. Instead of addressing Giuffrida's behavior, Guarton "was complicit and enabled" him "by doing absolutely nothing," the lawsuit alleges.
The Long Island Coalition for the Homeless brought in revenue totaling $3,133,233 in 2022, largely from government grants, according to the coalition's 990 tax form. The coalition spent around $1,726,838 on salaries, employee benefits and other compensation that year. The nonprofit tracks the size of the homeless population on Long Island.
The Suffolk County Legislature approved $127,500 for the coalition in 2024.
Asked about the lawsuit, Suffolk Comptroller John Kennedy said: “I have concerns any time there are allegations of improper conduct with a county-funded agency.
“It remains to be seen what the outcome of this matter may be,” Kennedy added. “There are many reasons why employees file litigation against current or former employers, some legitimate, some vindictive.”
The coalition has requested more time to answer the complaint, according to Grimaldi's attorneys. Their deadline is Dec. 12.
With Mark Harrington
An employee of the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless has filed a federal lawsuit against the nonprofit and two of its top leaders, alleging discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation for speaking up.
Coalition street outreach worker Samantha Grimaldi, of Suffolk County, is seeking $40 million in the lawsuit, alleging that associate director Michael Giuffrida made "inappropriate" advances and began sexually harassing her soon after she was hired in October 2022. Grimaldi also alleges Giuffrida and executive director Greta Guarton created a hostile environment, especially after complaints about Giuffrida's alleged "predatory behavior," and that the coalition failed to pay Grimaldi overtime as legally required. The suit was filed Oct. 17 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
"As a direct result" of her treatment at the coalition, Grimaldi "has suffered a loss of income, injury to her career and continues to suffer emotional distress, damage to her mental health, humiliation, embarrassment, great financial distress and severe damage to her reputation," the lawsuit says.
Both Guarton and Giuffrida declined to comment on the lawsuit.
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND
- A Long Island Coalition for the Homeless employee in a federal lawsuit is alleging "discrimination, retaliation, sexual harassment and a hostile work environment."
- Samantha Grimaldi, who is seeking $40 million in the lawsuit, alleges associate director Michael Giuffrida began sexually harassing her soon after she was hired in October 2022 and director Greta Guarton created a hostile work environment.
- The Amityville-based coalition, a registered nonprofit, is a Long Island advocacy group that provides resources to homeless people in the area.
Grimaldi's lawyers said in an email that her "federal complaint describes a pattern of discrimination practiced at the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless in violation of the United States and New York Constitutions."
"The result is that our client, a once homeless woman with two children, who relies upon the Coalition for housing and employment, has been stripped of her civil rights," said Woodbury-based attorney Geoffrey Mott, who is representing Grimaldi. "Ms. Grimaldi feared losing her job and the home she provides for her two children if she complained. She had effectively been silenced."
On Aug. 2, Grimaldi filed a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a federal agency that investigates discrimination in the workplace. The agency granted her the right to sue on Aug. 15.
Grimaldi was placed on paid administrative leave "per the instructions of counsel" for the coalition at the end of August, and the leave continued until Oct. 17, according to the suit. Grimaldi's lawyers said she has resumed work.
The EEOC declined to provide further details, citing federal confidentiality laws.
The Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, based in Amityville and registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a nonprofit since 1987, is an advocacy group that provides resources to homeless people in the area. The organization employed 46 people in 2022 and had 100 volunteers, according to the coalition's publicly available 990 tax form. The tax form also indicates Guarton received a compensation of at least $154,906 and Giuffrida $111,503.
Grimaldi started working at the coalition a few months after she became homeless in July 2022, when she started living with her two children in a camper she had purchased during the COVID pandemic, according to the lawsuit. Her responsibilities included "speaking with homeless individuals and providing information and resources to help them find shelter and health services," according to the lawsuit, which added she "excelled" despite a lack of "job description or formal training." The coalition paid Grimaldi around $43,000 per year, according to her attorneys.
The lawsuit alleges Giuffrida initially attempted to help Grimaldi by offering his unfinished basement as a place to stay and pushing through a referral for a local housing program she did not qualify for — efforts that left her feeling "indebted" to him. Grimaldi declined to move into Giuffrida's basement, the lawsuit adds.
This “ultimately set the stage” for Giuffrida to “employ his power” over Grimaldi, the suit alleges, “as he made it clear ... that without him, [Grimaldi] would not have housing for herself and her children.”
According to the lawsuit, Giuffrida insisted on going on assignments alone with Grimaldi, where he made multiple “inappropriate overtures” and allegedly told Grimaldi “it would be hard for him to maintain professional control while working so closely with her.”
Grimaldi was hesitant to report Giuffrida's advances because she feared she’d lose her job, especially because there was no human resources department she could turn to at the time, the suit says.
According to the suit, the coalition did not pay Grimaldi or other workers for overtime hours, which Guarton instructed her to record as “volunteer hours.” Any hours beyond 35 hours per week are considered overtime, the suit says.
The state Department of Labor has not recorded any complaints involving the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless.
Grimaldi eventually confided in "several coworkers" about "the harassment" from Giuffrida, according to the lawsuit. One reported to Guarton the "inappropriate behavior" he had observed, the suit says, and was later fired.
Giuffrida also allegedly retaliated against Grimaldi by assigning her to perform street outreach alone, an “extremely dangerous” situation against coalition practices, according to the lawsuit.
Grimaldi was uncomfortable being alone with Giuffrida during field work, the lawsuit says.
Grimaldi confronted Giuffrida about his "inappropriate behavior" and "isolating" her from coworkers, prompting Guarton to launch an investigation into their relationship and then subject Grimaldi to "harassment and aggressive behavior," such as removing her "work responsibilities" and "posting job openings" similar to her position, the suit says. Instead of addressing Giuffrida's behavior, Guarton "was complicit and enabled" him "by doing absolutely nothing," the lawsuit alleges.
The Long Island Coalition for the Homeless brought in revenue totaling $3,133,233 in 2022, largely from government grants, according to the coalition's 990 tax form. The coalition spent around $1,726,838 on salaries, employee benefits and other compensation that year. The nonprofit tracks the size of the homeless population on Long Island.
The Suffolk County Legislature approved $127,500 for the coalition in 2024.
Asked about the lawsuit, Suffolk Comptroller John Kennedy said: “I have concerns any time there are allegations of improper conduct with a county-funded agency.
“It remains to be seen what the outcome of this matter may be,” Kennedy added. “There are many reasons why employees file litigation against current or former employers, some legitimate, some vindictive.”
The coalition has requested more time to answer the complaint, according to Grimaldi's attorneys. Their deadline is Dec. 12.
With Mark Harrington
Brianne Ledda covers the Town of Islip for Newsday. She previously covered Southold and Greenport for The Suffolk Times and is a graduate of Stony Brook University.
