West Virginia Record

CHARLESTON - A woman is suing Beverly Enterprises-West Virginia Inc. after she claims she was retaliated against and wrongfully discharged from her employment.

Beverly Enterprises is doing business has Golden Living-Riverdale.

Jennifer Jeffries was also named as a defendant in the suit.

Dorothy Gibson Snodgrass was employed by Beverly from Feb. 25, 2010, until Jan. 14, according to a complaint filed Dec. 2 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Snodgrass claims in January she reported that she was being harassed by a fellow employee, Adrienne Meinhire, the director of nursing.

On the grievance Snodgrass was instructed to complete for her harassment complaint, it stated that she was to receive a response back from her employer within five to seven days, but she did not receive a response concerning her harassment complaint, according to the suit.

Snodgrass claims she contacted Jeffries, but received no response, and shortly after she contacted the corporate headquarters, her employment was terminated.

The reason given for the discharge was that Snodgrass had failed to protect a patient, however, the incident the defendants allege was caused by Snodgrass was not the cause, nor the fault of the plaintiff and other employees similarly situated were not discharged or punished in any fashion, according to the suit.

Snodgrass claims the defendants retaliated against her because of her harassment complaint.

The defendants' actions in retaliating and violating public policy of West Virginia were intentional, willful, wanton and with reckless disregard of the plaintiff's rights, according to the suit.

Snodgrass is seeking compensatory and punitive damages and reinstatement. She is being represented by Timothy J. LaFon of Ciccarello, Del Giudice & LaFon.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Carrie Webster.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 13-C-2236