AstraZeneca hit with lawsuit by former employee

BECKLEY - A woman is suing her ex-employer, alleging the employer failed to take appropriate measures to prevent an employee from sexually harassing her at work.

Katie L. Bonds filed a lawsuit Sept. 16 in the Circuit Court of Raleigh County against Astazeneca Pharmaceuticals LP.

According to the complaint, Bonds was a pharmaceutical sales representative beginning in February 2011.

Bonds says that a male employee, Ron Hinkle, began making unwelcome sexual comments to her in the summer of 2011 that would make her nervous and scared and caused her to suffer anxiety.

She also says that she noticed Hinkle was going out of his way to follow or bump into her during the work day. Bonds says that she filed a complaint with her supervisor, but that her supervisor did not take the allegations seriously, told her she must be mistaken, told her to be a team player and discuss her issues with Hinkle.

She alleges the defendant's failure to take appropriate steps to prevent future harassment forced her to resign from her position and seek medical treatment for stress and anxiety.

Bonds is seeking damages in the amount of $60,000. She is being represented in the case by Darl W. Poling of Poling Law Offices.

Circuit Court of Raleigh County Case No. 13-C-764