Ex-Secretary Claims Sexual Harassment By Boss Woman Says Global Life Executive Left ‘Vile’ Messages On Answering Machine

A former secretary is suing the top executive at Guardian Life Insurance Company’s Spokane office for sexual harassment, claiming he left “vile, outrageous messages” on her answering machines.

Lisa LeDoux, 27, says in her suit that Vice President William J. McAndrews sexually harassed her for the first five months of 1995, begging her for sex, marriage and a key to her house.

LeDoux’s lawyer, Sandra Simpson, is asking for a minimum of $1.5 million in damages.

LeDoux was hired by the insurance company in 1992 and held clerical positions until she quit earlier this year.

McAndrews was transferred to Spokane in 1991 from the company’s corporate offices in New York City.

As a vice president, he supervised the administration, claims and underwriting for this region.

The Spokane office of Guardian Insurance is one of three regional centers throughout the country, employing several hundred people to process claims and underwrite accounts.

According to the lawsuit, McAndrews began harassing LeDoux, then his secretary, in January.

McAndrews abused the woman, “using sexual language, obscenities and vulgarities regarding her as an employee, as a woman, and as a person,” the lawsuit stated.

Two examples of the alleged harassment are included in the complaint. The first was taken from LeDoux’s answering machine at home, according to the suit.

In that recording, the suit said, McAndrews encourages LeDoux to continue her relationship with her boyfriend and also have sex with McAndrews.

In addition to profanities, McAndrews is quoted saying, “To this day I can’t understand why we have never consummated our friendship.”

Another message was left on LeDoux’s work voice mail at 12:40 a.m., March 7. Again the caller repeatedly urges LeDoux to have sex with him.

LeDoux moved to a different county and filed an anti-harassment complaint, but it was dismissed because the harassment occurred in Spokane County, Simpson said.

LeDoux quit in June, after being demoted to a mail room employee, according her attorney.

Since then she has been unable to work.

“According to her psychologist, she is mentally distraught,” Simpson said. “She’s pretty much destitute at this time.”

LeDoux has been advised by her lawyer not to comment at this time.

McAndrews did not return messages left with his assistant and his lawyer.

He is not expected in the office this week, but Guardian managers would not explain his status.

“He’s still on the payroll and he’s not in the office,” said Bob Gillespie of Guardian’s public relations department in New York. “This is just an allegation at the moment.”

LeDoux never filed a formal complaint within the Guardian office, because she felt such action would be be futile, Simpson said.

“This person (McAndrews) is the top person in the region,” she said. “She had reason to believe she would not be taken seriously.”

, DataTimes