CHARLESTON – A Kanawha County woman is suing the Herbert J. Thomas Memorial Hospital Association after she claims her work hours were reduced in retaliation for being pregnant.
Beth Hedrick, a supervisor at the hospital, was also named as a defendant in the suit.
Amber Adkins works as an OB tech with the defendant and became aware that she was pregnant on Oct. 1, according to a complaint filed in Kanawha Circuit Court.
Adkins claims she began experiencing abdominal pain on Nov. 7 and she was placed on a 10-pound lifting restriction by her physician on Nov. 12.
The plaintiff met with the defendants and presented her physician's order regarding the lifting restriction and during that meeting, Hedrick terminated Adkins' employment, according to the suit.
Adkins claims shortly after the meeting, the defendants informed her that she could not be terminated because she was pregnant, but that her working hours would be reduced from 40 hours per week to 16 hours per week and that her lifting restrictions could not be accommodated.
The defendants' reduction of Adkins' working hours was in retaliation for her being pregnant, according to the suit.
Adkins is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. She is being represented by Todd S. Bailess and Joy B. Mega of Bailess Law PLLC.
The case is assigned to Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 15-C-1076
