A longtime captain in the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department is getting a $525,000 payout from the city to settle her sexual harassment lawsuit, which describes years of "sexually objectifying" behavior by her male co-workers.

The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the payout to Sara Alfaro, who claimed in her suit that she was groped, sent inappropriate text messages and had her clothing unzipped by male co-workers.

Alfaro, a 19-year department veteran, also claims in the 45-page suit that she was regularly passed over for promotions and special assignments, despite being well qualified.

When she complained about the alleged harassment, Alfaro's suit claims her superiors and co-workers retaliated against her. The suit also claims the city violated the state's Equal Pay Act.

The payout is the largest by San Diego in a sexual harassment case since the city in 2016 paid $667,000 to Benelia Santos-Hunter, who received the largest payout of all the women who accused former Mayor Bob Filner of sexual harassment.

Typically, a key factor in the size of a payout is how much potential earnings the harassment allegedly cost the victim.

In February, the city paid out $250,000 to a worker at the Miramar Landfill who filed a lawsuit claiming she suffered years of sexual harassment and racial discrimination on the job.

Last June, the city paid out $350,000 to a recreation worker who filed a lawsuit claiming she was sexually assaulted and repeatedly sexually harassed by a supervisor.

In both cases, the women said they lost out on promotions as part of the harassment. Alfaro makes similar claims.

"Alfaro's supervisors have consistently discriminated against her based on her gender by questioning her skills and expertise, denying her special work opportunities, subjecting her performance to a much higher level of scrutiny than male firefighters, and denying her the support needed for success and advancement within the department," the suit says.

In 2017, Alfaro's suit says, she told a fire chief about the harassment and he filed a complaint with the city's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Neither the city nor the department took precautions to keep the investigation private, which resulted in retaliation from her peers and supervisors, the suit says.

Alfaro began her city career as an emergency medical technician. She became a firefighter in 2001. About 5 percent of the city's nearly 900 firefighters are women.

San Diego requires all new city employees to undergo sexual harassment training, and workers must complete follow-up training every two years.

The lawsuit was filed in April 2018 by attorney Manuel Corrales Jr. The council gave a preliminary unanimous approval to the payout on Feb. 11 in a session closed to the public.

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