DENVER — A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the termination of a Denver employee who was laid off amid an ongoing discrimination lawsuit against the city.
Jessica Calderon, a director of operations in the mayor’s Office of Social Equity & Innovation who had worked for the city for more than 20 years, was among the 169 employees the city laid off earlier this summer in an effort to overcome a $200 million budget shortfall.
Her attorneys allege that decision was part of a “pattern of retaliation” against her by her bosses with the city. They claim Calderon was passed over for a promotion in 2024 after she supported Dr. Lisa Calderon – to whom she has no relation – in her campaign against Mike Johnston for Denver mayor in 2023 and her affiliation with the latter Calderon’s Latinos United Neighbors Association, or LUNA.
Jessica Calderon’s attorneys claim Biran Firooz, who was chosen over Calderon for a deputy executive director position, later “angrily confronted” her about the lawsuit and gave her low performance scores that they say contributed to her being included in the city’s 2025 layoffs.
According to the layoff plan announced last month, Thursday was supposed to be Calderon’s last day of employment with the city. But a federal court granted her request for a TRO because the judge found the layoff likely violated her First Amendment Rights and that the termination may have resulted from her political affiliations.
"I feel a sense of relief, and I feel very grateful that my my case was heard and that that was decided," Calderon told Denver7's Jessica Porter on Thursday. "I've been really waiting to be heard on all that has been going on. So it feels like a relief."
- Hear more from reaction to the TRO from Jessica Calderon in the video player below:
Calderon says she has been on paid administrative leave since August 18th and her attorney is reaching out to the City of Denver to find out when she can return to the office.
The Denver City Attorney's Office sent the following statement to Denver7 Thursday afternoon in response to the ruling:
"We respect the judge’s decision and are confident that we will receive a favorable outcome once all facts are presented."
In its response to the TRO request, the city said granting it would “force OSEI, and potentially other agencies if precedent is set, to pursue an unwieldy roll back” of the layoffs, position eliminations and realignments that impacted more than 8% of the city’s workforce.
This is a temporary restraining order and the judge ordered both parties to meet by September 24th to schedule a preliminary injunction hearing.
Calderon is among a group of 10 laid-off city workers who, in separate cases, appealed their terminations on the basis of alleged discrimination, according to our partners at The Denver Post.
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