SANDPOINT — A Sagle Fire District firefighter is seeking $1 million in damages from the district for allegedly failing to stop a supervisor from harassing her following the demise of a romantic relationship.

Katie Loper’s counsel, Hayden attorney Lawrence Beck, filed a claim for damages on Wednesday for negligence, wrongful termination, defamation and lost wages.

The claim serves as a notice of intent to sue. If the district rejects the claim, Loper would be free pursue her claims in a court of law.

Loper said in the 13-page claim that she was hired as a firefighter and EMT in 2004. Loper alleges Capt. Jason Cordle began approaching her in 2008 and confided that he was having marital problems and later stated he was divorced.

Loper and Cordle then dated “off and on” until 2011, when she discovered that Cordle was still married, the claim said. Upon ending the relationship, Loper claims she endured a pattern of harassment that included aggressively hostile text messages and demeaning remarks about her in front of her crew.

Loper, 35, further alleges that Cordle, 32, attempted to break into her mother’s home while she was visiting and used district equipment to pick the lock of her fire station quarters when she refused to let him in.

Loper said in the claim that the harassment caused her to seek therapy and report the misconduct to the district’s chief at the time, Rob Goodyear. Loper alleges that Goodyear tried to cover up allegations.

Goodyear retired in 2010, but would later become one the district’s commissioners.

Loper contends she advised the new chief, Robert Webber, of the harassment and he pledged resolve the matter and provide sexual harassment education to all the district’s employees. But Loper said the harassment did not stop despite the training session.

Cordle, the claim said, was sacked in 2011 following an investigation, but Loper said the probe did not address claims of sexual harassment. The firefighters’ union filed a grievance that went to arbitration, which ultimately to Cordle’s reinstatement to his former position and rank earlier this year.

Loper, under her doctor’s advisement, declined to return to work until a plan was developed to foster a safe and harassment-free working environment. But Loper said the plan amounted to the district’s confidence that Cordle would be on his best behavior around her.

“Claimant has been constructively discharged from her position of employment with Respondent, as working conditions have become so intolerable that any reasonable person in Claimant’s position would feel compelled to resign,” Loper’s claim said.

A message seeking comment from Webber yielded no response on Thursday.