Former employee says Steel of West Virginia wrongfully terminated employment

HUNTINGTON - A former employee says Steel of West Virginia Inc. wrongfully terminated her employment and caused her damages.

SWVA Inc., Jonathan Newman and John O'Connor were also named as defendants in the suit.

Brenda Ellen Egan was employed by the defendants for approximately two months until her employment was wrongfully terminated on Oct. 16, 2011, according to a complaint filed May 9 in Cabell Circuit Court.

Egan claims during her employment, she consistently performed her duties in a satisfactory manner and met the reasonable expectations of the defendants.

On Oct. 16, 2011, the defendants willfully, maliciously and unlawful terminated Egan's employment, according to the suit.

Egan claims as a result of the defendants' actions, she suffered lost wages and benefits; indignity; embarrassment; humiliation; and annoyance and inconvenience.

The defendants' actions constituted sexual harassment and/or created a hostile work environment, in violation of the West Virginia Human Rights Act, according to the suit.

Egan claims the defendants terminated her employment based on sex, either in whole or in part.

Egan is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre-judgment interest. She is being represented by Mark A. Atkinson of Atkinson & Polak PLLC.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge F. Jane Hustead.

Cabell Circuit Court case number: 13-C-315