The worker complained about a coworker committing time theft, according to a lawsuit.
TRENTON - A state employee claims in a lawsuit his supervisors at the state Department of Community Affairs retaliated against him after he complained about a coworker committing timesheet theft.
The employee -- Charles Constantine, a construction official -- filed the lawsuit recently in Mercer County Superior Court, in Trenton.
In the suit, Constantine says an unnamed coworker bragged about having a "deal" with state representatives that allowed the coworker to arrive to and leave work when he wanted, without being docked pay.
The alleged deal was brokered by a former union president, the suit says.
Constantine claims that deal was granted because of the coworker's, "connection with or as a result of his role with a major disciplinary event involving corruption and unit staff in Atlantic City," the suit says.
Constantine's attorney could not go into the details of the alleged disciplinary event.
A spokeswoman for the Community Affairs department declined to comment on the alleged deal or the suit.
In May of 2015, Constantine went to his supervisors to complain about his coworker, the suit said. Months later, he was suspended for 10 days because of "false and baseless accusations," that his coworkers made against him.
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Constantine appealed the suspension, but it was just the beginning of the retaliation for his initial complaint, the suit says.
He claims he was constantly monitored and that a confidential human resources complaint he made was leaked to all of his coworkers.
The suit says Constantine's supervisor even went as far as to warn others to, "be careful" around Constantine and labeled him a "rat" and a "snitch."
Apart from his coworkers, Constantine claims higher-up members of the Community Affairs department also had a hand in unethical behavior after he filed his initial complaint.
"The state has attempted, through various means of coercion and intimidation, to force (Constantine) to withdraw his original grievance," the suit said.
Others tried to get him to destroy evidence, the suit said.
"Specifically, emails that document the retaliation and the involvement of supervisory staff in condoning stealing...and obstructing investigations into those allegations," the suit said.
Copies of Constantine's initial grievance and emails between him and members of the department were not immediately available.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman