TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Dr. Jill Mortimer, hired in January 2022 on a five-year contract as superintendent of the Westwood Regional School District, has filed a lawsuit against the K-12 board of education and three former or current members, alleging severe discrimination, harassment, and retaliation due to disabilities.
Docket number BER-L-003393-24, Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen County, with Judge Kelly A. Conlon, details numerous allegations against the board and immediate past president Michael Pontillo and current members Laura Cooper and Kristen Pedersen, all three of Westwood, who under the plaintiff’s complaint are among her employers.
Mortimer’s legal representatives, R. Armen McOmber, Esq., and Austin B. Tobin, Esq., of McOmber McOmber & Luber, P.C., have alleged a series of hostile actions have significantly impacted Mortimer’s professional and personal well-being.
We have invited a statement from the board via administrator Keith Rosado, and from those named as defendants.
The lawsuit also lists defendants referred to as ABC Corporations 1–5 and John Does 1–5, but Mortimer, in her only comments on the suit for the record in a brief conversation with Pascack Press on June 17, said these were not part of her suit.
Mortimer, of Wyckoff, seeks compensatory and punitive damages, reinstatement of employment with accommodations, and implementation of corrective actions by the board to prevent future occurrences of discrimination and harassment.
According to the complaint, the troubles began in March 2023 when Mortimer expressed her need to take medical leave for spinal fusion surgery.
Despite her documented medical condition and physician’s advice, Mortimer alleges that Pontillo, who also was and is Westwood’s police chief, pressured her to return to work prematurely—allegedly telling her “You’re kind of going out at a bad time”— resulting in exacerbated health issues and significant emotional distress.
Upon her return, Mortimer claims she was subjected to a hostile work environment, including being trapped and yelled at in her office by Cooper, which triggered her PTSD.
Mortimer’s allegations further state that the board forced her onto involuntary psychiatric leave and demanded a psychiatric evaluation, actions she asserts were motivated by discriminatory animus towards her disabilities.
“Defendants brazenly violated the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, N.J.S.A. 10:5- 1, et seq. (hereinafter referred to as the “NJLAD”) by subjecting plaintiff to an utterly intolerable and hostile work environment due to her various disabilities,” states the lawsuit.
The suit says “Defendant WRBOE launched a calculated and concerted effort to bully, harass, and intimidate plaintiff by subjecting her to disparate treatment on the basis of said disabilities. Defendants Pontillo, Cooper, and Pedersen [then board vice president] all aided and abetted in this discriminatory and retaliatory scheme against plaintiff and have only escalated such efforts after plaintiff began complaining about their unlawful actions.”
The suit alleges, “When plaintiff returned to the office, she was told by defendant Pontillo … that her performance and actions were ‘in stark contrast to the manner in which she performed [her] job in the beginning of this calendar year’ (before her back surgery).” “After plaintiff was finally allowed to return to work, the WRBOE defendants “actively impeded her efforts to benefit from reasonable work accommodations, violated her privacy by leaking her personal medical information to the public, and subjected her to significant public humiliation, emotional harm, and reputational damage,” says the suit.
It adds, “Following plaintiff’s complaints about disability discrimination, the WRBOE defendants launched a campaign of transparent retaliation littered with unfounded scrutiny and unjustified smears attacking her character, competence, and performance when, in reality, plaintiff has, and continues to, exhibit exemplary job performance in her role as the educational leader of the Westwood Regional School District.”
Against this backdrop, the board voted to move Westwood Regional High School Principal Frank Connelly to the superintendent slot—and pro-rate his new compensation—at least on an interim basis. Then Mortimer returned to her role.
Mortimer’s attorney pointed out in a special board meeting that she has two years left on her contract.
‘I will consider staying on…’
On Aug, 28, 2023, Mortimer wrote district families, “Today, I am announcing the fact that the board will soon secure a search firm to find a replacement for me. My resignation for the purpose of retirement will depend upon whether they find a suitable candidate for the 2024–2025 school year. I will consider staying on if they do not. I am grateful to the board for having faith in me, and my nine years of service to the district have been wonderful. This is a special place.”
A day later, Aug. 29, she told Pascack Press that taking an early retirement was long a part of her plan. “I’ve been in education for 31 years. This position and this district have been the pinnacle of my career; I’ve had a wonderful time here.”
On April 22, 2024 she wrote families, “The past three years of my tenure as superintendent have featured significant personnel improvements. The district has hired two directors of education, a Director of Personnel, a Director of Technology, a Director of School Counseling and Wellness, two principals, and numerous staff members.”
She said, “For these reasons, I have decided to stay on as your proud Superintendent of Schools. Simply put, my work here is not finished. I have served the WWRSD to the best of my ability for almost a decade, and I truly believe that I possess the needed historical knowledge to lead the new hires in their roles and advance the mission of the district. We are finishing the first year of a three-year strategic plan, working to improve student achievement, and putting systemic measures in place to improve our overall educational environment. I intend to lead the district through this process, which will have real and ascertainable benefits to all of our students.”
On May 31, 2024 Mortimer wrote, “Please know I continue to eagerly serve as the superintendent in our school community. The high school’s graduation is my favorite event of the year. I love the excitement, our beautiful field at sundown, the raising of the large American flag, and seeing everyone so happy.”
She said, “I also look forward to when our fine athletes are back on our high school fields early in the morning in mid-August. That is the first signal that school is about to start.”
Mortimer reflected, “I have seen a lot in my close to 10 years in the district. My dedication, professionalism, and work ethic are unwavering. I too want only the best for your children.”
An update on the board website from Feb. 16, 2024, Progress of Candidate Interviews, is still live. It says, “During the week of February 5, the Board interviewed eight impressive candidates for the position of WWRSD Superintendent of Schools. Given the level of talent and enthusiasm of the slate of candidates, the Board made the difficult but unanimous decision to advance four candidates forward for second interviews, which will be conducted during the last week of February.”
The statement said, “Our search process comprises three rounds of interviews, and we intend to hold final interviews in early March. We are on-track for a July 1 start date. Please continue to check this page for more updates on the process. As always, thank you for your continued support.”
Evidently nothing followed.
In “New superintendent’s five-year contract: $242K in 2022; $262K in 2026” (Feb. 5, 2022, Michael Olohan), we reported that the new five-year contract signed by the Westwood Regional School District with Mortimer provides $242,500 in base salary for 2022 and more than $262,000 by the fifth year of service in 2025–2026.
Mortimer was hired Jan. 27, 2022 by a 6-1 vote, after having served six months as acting superintendent following the departure of Ray Gonzalez that summer. She drew praise for hitting the ground running as remnants from Tropical Storm Ida damaged Washington Elementary School over Labor Day Weekend 2021, necessitating student and staff relocations while repairs were made.
More recently, she has apologized for a pair of false alarms that saw students lock down then shelter in place as police cleared the high school. She has cited technical issues with the lockdown system, later resolved.