Woman accuses Siemens of wrongful termination

CHARLESTON – A woman is suing over claims her employment was wrongfully terminated.

Julia E. Blackwood filed a lawsuit Sept. 17 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Siemens Medical Solutions USA Inc., citing wrongful termination.

According to the complaint, Blackwood's employment with Siemens was wrongfully terminated Jan. 3, 2008, after she raised concerns about the defendant's medical records system in the Charleston Area Medical Center. Blackwood says at the time the company was under investigation for fraud in the procurement of contracts, and she was reinstated after about seven months when she threatened to sue for wrongful termination.

The complaint states Blackwood settled her complaint in August 2008, and a two-year contract was part of the settlement, but after that period, the defendant created a hostile work environment that caused Blackwood severe emotional distress and physical injury and forced her to resign in August 2012.

Blackwood also says Siemens failed to timely pay money owed for paid time off and "call pay," violating the West Virginia Wage Payment and Collection Act. The complaint states the company paid some wages owed in September, 2012, but has failed to pay the full amount.

Blackwood seeks money owed and damages.

She is represented by attorney Michael D. Weikle of Tiffin, Ohio. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Carrie L. Webster.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 14-C-1718