CHARLESTON – A Lincoln County woman is suing Medford Trucking, LLC, after she claims she was harassed and threatened by other employees.
Medford Transport, LLC; Medford Holding, LLC; Kevin Medford; Roger Medford; and Cindy Medford were also named as defendants in the suit.
Debbie Ann Bowes was hired by the defendants as the Director of Human Resources in August 2011, according to a complaint filed Jan. 9 in Kanawha Circuit Court.
Bowes claims she was subjected to unwelcome and offensive sexual advances, solicitations, sexual remarks, unwanted physical touching and sexual innuendo by Kevin Medford and when she reported the conduct to Roger Medford, he ignored her complaints and engaged in making sexually explicit unwelcome comments to her.
Kevin Medford’s sexual harassment continued and he retaliated against Bowes’ reporting him by embarrassing her and making comments about her physical appearance and her body in the presence of numerous individuals, including Roger Medford and attorney John Alderman, according to the suit.
Bowes claims on Dec. 20, Cindy Medford called her and her home and threatened her life.
At the time, Cindy Medford also published false and slanderous statements to Bowes’ husband, including that she was having an affair with Kevin Medford, according to the suit.
Bowes claims Cindy Medford also told her husband she was going to kill her and upon receiving these threats, Bowes went to the police and obtained a temporary personal safety order against Cindy Medford.
On Dec. 29, the defendants engaged in a scheme to terminate Bowes’ employment by changing the locks at the office and disabling her email access, according to the suit.
Bowes claims on Jan. 2, she was informed by Alderman that she was suspended with pay pending an investigation and that she still remains suspended.
The defendants violated the West Virginia Human Rights Act by sexually harassing Bowes and creating a hostile work environment, according to the suit.
Bowes is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is being represented by Maria W. Hughes and Mark Goldner.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Paul Zakaib Jr.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 13-C-34
Woman says Medford Trucking harassed, threatened her
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY
