GRAFTON – A former employee for a Grafton restaurant alleges she was sexually harassed by another employee while she worked there.
Maria Batson filed a complaint in Taylor Circuit Court against Dottie Shelton, doing business as Biggie’s Restaurant, alleging sexual harassment under the West Virginia Human Rights Act and other counts.
According to the complaint, Batson worked as a hostess, cook and busser for the restaurant as an 18-year-old high school student in 2014. She alleges that at her time of employment, she worked with Christopher Bolyard, a man with a known criminal record. Batson claims that Bolyard made many inappropriate jokes and sexual advances on her and that Shelton allegedly ignored plaintiff's concerns and continued to schedule the two together during the same shifts. The plaintiff alleges she resigned in September 2014 after Bolyard inappropriately touched her. The suit states that Bolyard was never disciplined.
The plaintiff seeks an amount to compensate for her losses and sufficient punitive damages. The plaintiff is represented by Edmund L. Wagoner & David E. Goddard of Goddard & Wagoner PLLC in Clarksburg. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Alan D. Moats.
Taylor Circuit Court Case number 16-C-51
