WEST VIRGINIA RECORD

CHARLESTON -- A Kanawha County woman is suing JPMorgan Chase & Co. after she claims her employment was wrongfully terminated.

Lisa Craddock and Sharon Parsons, employees of JPMorgan Chase Bank, were also named as defendants in the suit.

In December 1996, Varsha Vaghela was hired to work at the Charleston Main Branch of the bank, according to a complaint filed Sept. 19 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Vaghela claims in December 2009 it became apparent that she was being repeatedly denied opportunities for promotion in favor of less-qualified candidates.

When Vaghela complained about the unfair treatment and apparent discrimination, the defendants intentionally and maliciously retaliated against her by dissuading other managers from writing letters of recommendation on her behalf, removing recognition due to her for business she brought to the bank and ignoring her complaints, "all in the interest of ensuring that she would not be promoted," according to the suit.

Vaghela claims in January 2010 the defendants wrongfully terminated her employment.

The defendants violated the West Virginia Human Rights Act by terminating Vaghela's employment based on her national origin, according to the suit.

Vaghela claims the defendants' unlawfully retaliation against her also violated the West Virginia Human Rights Act.

Vaghela is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is being represented by Maria W. Hughes and Paul S. Saluja.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge James C. Stucky.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 11-C-1637