Joe Montgomery was also named as a defendant in the suit.
Valerie Whitman was hired by Ruby Tuesday as an assistant manager on Aug. 10 and completed her training on Oct. 3, according to a complaint originally filed in Harrison Circuit Court and later removed to federal court.
Whitman claims she performed all of her work duties in a satisfactory or above satisfactory manner and never committed any separate dischargeable offenses.
Shortly after Whitman began employment at the Clarksburg location, she began suffering gender discrimination, harassment and a hostile work environment created largely by Montgomery, according to the suit.
Whitman claims Montgomery did not permit her to speak directly to him, rather, if she had a question, she had to have another employee relay the message.
Montgomery also made several derogatory or degrading comments about Whitman’s sexuality, including that “your kind aren’t welcome here,” and that he would “never work with a gay person again,” according to the suit.
Whitman claims she reported the hostile work environment and discrimination to Shawna, the general manager of the Uniontown, Penn., location, and, thereafter, she had a meeting with Shawna, Buddy Beavers and Montgomery.
No corrective action was taken against Montgomery, according to the suit.
Whitman claims her employment was wrongfully terminated on Dec. 21.
Whitman is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is being represented by Erika Klie Kolenich and Karl Kolenich of Klie Law Offices.
The defendant is represented by Charles K. Grant of Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia case number: 1:17-cv-00058
