Cal OES Official Accused of Sexual Harassment in Lawsuit

Alleged retaliation by the official is said to have impeded wildfire recovery efforts, putting disaster survivors at risk.

Kendra Bowyer, a former senior emergency services coordinator for the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), has filed a lawsuit accusing Deputy Director Ryan Buras of sexual harassment and workplace discrimination.
The lawsuit alleges that Buras' retaliation against Bowyer, after she rejected his advances, impeded wildfire recovery efforts and put disaster survivors' health and safety at risk.
Bowyer's lawsuit also implicates Cal OES and the state of California, alleging that officials were aware of Buras' behavior but allowed him to remain in the workplace and targeted his accusers for discipline or termination.
Steven Larson, a former Cal OES statewide manager, filed a separate lawsuit in 2020 claiming he was illegally terminated for filing internal whistleblower complaints about Buras.
Bowyer's lawsuit seeks compensation for lost wages, medical costs, attorneys fees and other damages, as well as a Cal OES investigation into Buras and the dismissal of officials who allowed his alleged abuse to continue.