Putnam Co. woman says she was fired after reporting sexual harassment

CHARLESTON -- A Putnam County woman is suing over claims she was fired after reporting sexual harassment.

Mary Porterfield filed a lawsuit April 17 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Protrade Steel, doing business as RJ Recycling LLC, and Roland Fisher, in his individual capacity and as general manager of RJ Recycling LLC, citing unlawful retaliation.

According to the complaint, Porterfield was sexually harassed by a coworker while working as a scale operator at RJ Recycling's Nitro location, but her complaints were ignored by her supervisor, Fisher, who also made derogatory remarks about women.

Porterfield says she was placed on limited duty to a herniated disc in 2013, and she was fired Sept. 16, for allegedly violating a company policy, while her position was filled with a younger worker.

The defendants are accused of retaliatory discharge, discrimination based on disability, sexual harassment/hostile work environment, age discrimination, negligent infliction of emotional distress and outrage.

Porterfield is seeking damages and lost pay.

She is being represented in the case by attorneys Hoyt Glazer, Ben Sheridan and Mitchell L. Klein of Klein, Sheridan and Glazer LC. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Jennifer F. Bailey.

Kanawha Circuit Court Case No. 14-C-750