WHEELING - Three lawsuits have been filed against EAN Holdings after former employees claim they were sexually harassed by a supervisor
Brandon Michaels was also named as a defendant in the suits.
Crystal Tysinger, Olivia Bowen and Sahkita Galloway were all employed by EAN and were supervised by Michaels, according to three complaints filed in Ohio Circuit Court.
The plaintiffs claim during their employments, they were sexually harassed and subjected to a hostile work environment by Michaels while he was acting within the scope of his employment with EAN.
The harassment included Michaels improperly touching the plaintiffs and making improper sexual comments in the workplace, according to the suits.
The plaintiffs claim they notified EAN about the sexual harassment and hostile work environment, and, ultimately, Galloway and Bowen were transferred to other locations to work. Tysinger was forced to resign from her employment.
The defendants' actions/inactions violated the West Virginia Human Rights Act, according to the suits.
The plaintiffs claim EAN negligently and/or recklessly hired, retained and/or supervised Michaels as an employee despite its knowledge that Michaels had sexually harassed employees in the past.
As a direct and proximate result of the defendants' actions, the plaintiffs suffered indignity, embarrassment, humiliation, emotional distress, annoyance and inconvenience, according to the suits.
The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are being represented by Paul L. Frampton of Atkinson & Polak; and Christopher J. Heavens of Heavens Law Firm PLLC.
Ohio Circuit Court case numbers: 15-C-144, 15-C-146, 15-C-147