Man says energy company discriminated against him

CHARLESTON -- A Kanawha County man is suing over claims he has been discriminated against due to a previous disability.

Paul J. Monroe filed a lawsuit May 14 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Enerfab Electric Inc., formerly known as Brown Electric Co. Inc., citing disability discrimination.

According to the complaint, Monroe was employed by Brown Electric as an electrician from 1992 until 1997 when he was injured on the job and placed on leave with workers' compensation, before being forced to leave the workforce and deemed disabled by the Social Security Administration.

Monroe says he was able to return to the workforce without restriction in 2007 and he returned to the local union hiring hall where Enerfab regularly contracts electricians, but every time the plaintiff's name is submitted to Enerfab, it has been rejected.

According to the complaint, on April 7, Monroe was called out on a project for Enerfab, but before he could begin work, he was notified Enerfab had rejected him once again. Enerfab is accused of rejecting the plaintiff due to his previous claim of workers' compensation and disability.

Monroe is seeking damages, front pay and attorney's fees.

He is being represented in the case by attorney Richard W. Walters of Shaffer & Shaffer PLLC. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Tod J. Kaufman.

Kanawha Circuit Court Case No. 14-C-886