CHARLESTON – Six former employees are suing Blackhawk Mining LLC after they claim they were wrongfully terminated from their employment.
Hampden Coal LLC and Tony Osborne were also named as defendants in the suit.
Dallas Mounts, Dennis Roberts, Kenneth Mills, Scott Mills, John Evans and John Kosher were employed by the defendants until March 13, March 23, May 14, when they were discharged from their employments, according to six complaints filed in Logan Circuit Court and removed to federal court.
The former employees claim they suffered and will continue to suffer lost wages and benefits; indignity; embarrassment; humiliation; annoyance; and inconvenience because of the defendants' actions.
The defendants' actions were willful, wanton and/or undertaken with reckless disregard and/or reckless indifference to the rights of the plaintiffs, according to the suits.
The plaintiffs claim the defendants actions were willful and malicious and violated the West Virginia Human Rights Act.
The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are being represented by Mark A. Atkinson and John-Mark Atkinson of Atkinson & Polak PLLC; and Harry M. Hatfield of Hatfield & Hatfield PLLC.
Blackhawk and Hampden were represented by Jennifer J. Hicks and Ashley C. Pack of Dinsmore Shohl.
The cases were assigned to District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia case numbers: 2:15-cv-13335, 2:15-cv-13336, 2:15-cv-13337, 2:15-cv-13338, 2:15-cv-13339, 2:15-cv-13340
