Former employee accuses Beckley Pain Clinic of discrimination

BECKLEY — Beckley Pain Clinic is being sued by a former employee after it terminated her employment, claiming discrimination.

Melanie Tilley filed a lawsuit June 2 in Raleigh Circuit Court against Beckley Pain Clinic PLLC, citing disability discrimination, age discrimination, sexual discrimination and harassment, retaliatory discharge and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

Tilley claims she began working for the defendant where she was in charge of the staffing, scheduling, patient issues, patient's outstanding bills, computer issues and recruiting. The suit alleges Tilley immediately experienced hostile and improper treatment from the defendant's physician and staff, including being called an "ogre" and "bitch" in front of patients, being told she was so stupid she was not worth a penny, a doctor threw discharge papers at her and snorted like a pig in her ear.

According to the brief, Tilley suffered a traumatic brain injury after a car accident which required her to take time off for recovery. The suit alleges shortly after her accident, the defendant changed Tilley from a salaried employee to hourly employee and she was told her work had declined. Tilley states her employment was terminated in retaliation after she had made several reports of an abusive and hostile work environment.

Tilley is seeking damages, attorney's fees, interest and court costs.

She is being represented by Huntington attorney Hoyt Glazer of Klein, Sheridan and Glazer LC. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge John A. Hutchison.

Raleigh Circuit Court case number 14-C-558-H