A former employee of MainStreet Oceanside has sued the organization and its former CEO, Gumaro Escarcega, for sexual harassment.
Escarcega was hired at MainStreet Oceanside as a program manager in February 2013, according to his profile on LinkedIn. He was appointed chief executive officer Jan. 1, 2024, after the retirement of longtime CEO Rick Wright.
The self-supporting nonprofit promotes downtown businesses and hosts a number of special events, such as Taste of Oceanside, that encourage people to shop locally.
Escarcega was no longer included on the organization’s website Thursday, where Chief Financial Officer Angie Leonard was listed as the interim chief executive officer.
“Since this matter is in litigation, we are unable to comment on the allegations or the facts,” Leonard said in an emailed response to questions.
“As has always been the case, we at MainStreet Oceanside take any complaint of harassment or discrimination seriously,” she said. “Such conduct in any form is not tolerated and we strive to provide the best possible environment for our employees, partners, and those in the community.”
Escarcega did not respond to calls at two small businesses he owns in Vista.
Former MainStreet employee Haley Riggi is represented by attorney Cameron Gharabiklou in a legal complaint filed Dec. 4 in San Diego Superior Court alleging sexual harassment, failure to prevent sexual harassment, wrongful termination and negligence.
Riggi was forced to resign on or about Oct. 9 to preserve her safety and dignity, and she remains unemployed, her attorney said Thursday.
“This experience has been utterly devastating,” Gharabiklou said.
“She was subjected to workplace harassment that no one should ever have to endure, forcing her out of a job where she otherwise excelled,” he said. “As a single mother, she’s struggled despite her best efforts to find new employment.”
Riggi was hired in August 2022 as MainStreet’s lead event coordinator, according to the complaint.
Her responsibilities included recruiting local businesses to participate in events, selling ad space and memberships, attending meetings, promoting MainStreet in the community, and acting as a liaison with local businesses, the complaint states.
“What began as a promising and fulfilling outward-facing role quickly devolved into a daily nightmare of sexual harassment, crude remarks, and emotional abuse,” it states.
Escarcega frequently commented on Riggi’s appearance “in a degrading manner,” graded her appearance on a scale of 1 to 10, and told her to use her figure to sell ads, the complaint alleges. The harassment included physical contact such as stroking her head, rubbing her shoulders and invading her personal space “in unauthorized and unpermitted ways.”
The harassment extended to other employees, such as telling one woman she would “make a good stripper,” the complaint states.
Riggi alleges she reported Escarcega’s behavior to the organization’s human resources director, but no action was taken, and that Escarcega joked among fellow employees about ignoring sexual harassment training.
As CEO, she alleges, Escarcega exhibited a dual personality, showing a professional face and likeable demeanor to the public and business and political leaders, while being “controlling, scary, intimidating, manipulative, and abusive” to employees.
