Employee sues Association of Rehabilitation Facilities for discrimination

CHARLESTON -- A Kanawha County woman is suing the West Virginia Association of Rehabilitation Facilities for violations of the West Virginia Human Rights Act.

Mary Jones has worked for the defendant since October 2003 and is the only minority employee the defendant has, according to a complaint filed Feb. 26 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Jones claims that during her employment she has experienced several instances of disparate treatment and hostility.

After filing a grievance in August 2008, Jones claims the CEO informed her that she would be receiving an unsatisfactory performance evaluation. She claims the performance evaluation was done in retaliation for filing the grievance.

Jones claims she has not received a raise in more than two years and that the defendant's white employees have received raises.

The defendant has "no meaningful policies or procedures for addressing unlawful discrimination in the workplace," according to the suit.

Jones is seeking for the court to enter a declaratory judgment declaring the defendant's acts in violation of the West Virginia Human Rights Act and compensatory and punitive damages. She is being represented by Cameron S. McKinney.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Tod J. Kaufman.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 10-C-379