CHARLESTON -- A woman is suing the West Virginia Conservation Agency after she claims she has been discriminated against because of her sex.
The West Virginia Conservation Committee was also named as a defendant in the suit.
Carolyn Hefner has been employed by the the West Virginia Conservation Agency since Sept. 16, 1996 and has not been promoted because of her sex, according to a complaint filed July 16 in Kanawha Circuit Court.
Hefner claims in 2008 she advised the West Virginia Conservation Agency she would file a civil claim against it because of its improper conduct and the defendant "resolved its differences" that same year.
The defendants' failure to promote or hire Hefner into the position of executive director was in retaliation for her filing her West Virginia Human Rights claim in 2008, according to the suit.
Hefner claims in order to avoid promoting her, the defendants changed the educational requirement for the position of executive director.
The defendants' actions violate the West Virginia Human Rights Act, according to the suit.
Hefner is seeking compensatory damages. She is being represented by J. Michael Ranson, Cynthia M. Ranson, George B. Morrone III and Charles R. Webb.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 12-C-1378