Woman says Greenbrier discriminated against her

BECKLEY – A Greenbrier County woman claims the Greenbrier Hotel Corporation discriminated against her by choosing less-qualified males to fill roles to which she applied.

Lynette Sherman filed a lawsuit Nov. 4 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia against the hotel.

Sherman, who began working as a cook's helper at the hotel on July 30, 1998, after her graduation from the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts, says she finished the Greenbrier culinary apprenticeship program in November 2001.

Following her graduation from the Greenbrier program, Sherman continued working for Greenbrier as a rounds chef, according to the complaint.

In 2002, Sherman applied for saucier at Greenbrier, but the hotel gave the job to a less-qualified male, the suit states.

Unfazed, Sherman continued to apply three additional times for the saucier position, but each time the hotel chose a less-qualified male over her, the complaint says.

In addition, she claims she applied for a catering chef opening in 2005 and for a sous chef position at the Sam Snead Golf Club in February, but the hotel again picked less-qualified males to fill the roles.

"Each denial or rejection for promotions as set forth above is part of a pattern of ongoing discrimination against Plaintiff on the basis of her gender," the suit states. "Each denial or rejection as set forth above has adversely affected Plaintiff's compensation which has continued from the date of the rejection of promotion to date, each time wages and compensation have been paid to Plaintiff."

Because of her repeated rejections, Sherman experienced emotional pain, suffering, inconvenience, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life, the complaint says.

In the two-count suit, Sherman is seeking a judgment for back pay and benefits she says the hotel owes her since the date of each of its denials, compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys' fees, costs, a promotion to the position of saucier or front pay and other relief the court deems just.

Debra Kilgore of Burton, Kilgore and Lazenby in Princeton and David White of The Masters Law Firm in Charleston will be representing her.

U.S. District Court case number: 5:09-1211