A former cook for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has filed suit alleging he was subjected to sexual harassment and sexual-orientation harassment while assigned to Cal Fire’s Ione training facility, and that supervisors failed to take corrective action after he complained.

Shaun Thomas filed suit September 3, 2026, in Sacramento County Superior Court against Cal Fire and 50 unnamed defendants. The complaint alleges violations of California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) for sexual harassment, sexual-orientation harassment, failure to prevent harassment, and sexual-orientation discrimination.

Thomas worked for Cal Fire from approximately March to June 2026 as a Supervising Cook I at the Ione training facility, where he helped manage the kitchen that served meals to students and staff. Thomas is identified in the complaint as gay.

According to the complaint, another kitchen employee, Jacob Aponte, began telling coworkers that Thomas was gay. Thomas claims Aponte made comments within his hearing to the effect of, “I am going to tell everyone he is gay” and “I am going to get him to quit.”

Thomas alleges Aponte regularly mocked him using sexually suggestive comments. The complaint further alleges Aponte made comments suggesting Thomas was a sexual predator or pervert because he was gay. Thomas claims Aponte warned a maintenance employee to “watch out for this guy” and “watch your back around him.”

Thomas also describes an incident in which a female kitchen employee filmed him while he was looking toward Aponte and other employees. He later allegedly saw Aponte and other employees watching the video, laughing and making comments that led Thomas to believe they were suggesting he had been sexually checking out Aponte.

Thomas contends the conduct extended beyond Aponte. He claims kitchen employees, firefighters, and fire chiefs made derogatory comments about his sexual orientation, including referring to him as “the queer,” “the gay supervisor,” and using other homophobic slurs.

The complaint specifically alleges that an unidentified chief made comments about Thomas to the effect of “I knew he was gay,” “that queer,” and “there is something wrong with that weirdo.” Thomas contends the harassment was widely known throughout the Ione facility and that supervisors, including fire chiefs, either participated in the harassment or knew about it and failed to take corrective action.

In May 2026, Thomas reported the harassment to his supervisor, Philip Kerber. Thomas claims he told Kerber that Aponte was telling employees he was gay and that employees throughout the facility were mocking and ridiculing him because of his sexual orientation.

According to Thomas, Kerber said he would investigate. The following day, Kerber allegedly told Thomas that nothing had come of his inquiry and that Thomas should “simply shut his door and ignore the harassing comments and conduct moving forward.” Thomas claims the harassment worsened after his complaint.

The situation allegedly escalated in June when Thomas overheard employees discussing his vehicle and making statements to the effect of “let’s mess up his car” and “he needs to get his ass kicked.” According to the complaint, the employees identified the make and color of his vehicle and discussed physically harming him. Thomas claims he became afraid for his safety.

Thomas then emailed Cal Fire’s Human Resources Department, reporting the harassment and explaining that his earlier complaint to Kerber had not been properly documented, investigated or corrected. Thomas claims Kerber subsequently confronted him about the email and told him that the matter was now out of Kerber’s hands.

Thomas alleges the harassment caused increasing emotional distress, anxiety and fear and made his working conditions intolerable. On June 10, 2026, he sent a text message to Kerber and Human Resources resigning from Cal Fire. The complaint characterizes the resignation as a constructive termination, alleging the working conditions were such that a reasonable employee would have felt compelled to resign.

Thomas alleges Cal Fire violated FEHA by subjecting him to harassment based upon his sex and sexual orientation, failing to prevent the harassment, and discriminating against him because of his sexual orientation. Of particular significance to his harassment claims, the complaint alleges that the fire chiefs who participated in the conduct were supervisors within the meaning of FEHA, making Cal Fire strictly liable for their alleged harassment.

Thomas also alleges Cal Fire failed to take reasonable steps to prevent harassment, including properly investigating his complaints, taking remedial action, and adequately training managers, supervisors and human resources personnel concerning harassment and retaliation.

The suit seeks lost wages and benefits, damages for emotional distress, consequential and incidental damages, attorneys’ fees and costs. Thomas has demanded a jury trial.