BECKLEY – A pharmacy technician for the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs alleges she was touched in an inappropriate manner during a physical exam required for employment.
Debra Blankenship filed a complaint Oct. 24 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia against the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Russell L. Martin alleging that they violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff was hired by the VA as a pharmacy technician in August 2014 and was required to undergo a pre-employment physical. The suit states Martin conducted the plaintiff's physical on July 14, 2014, and the plaintiff alleges Martin inappropriately touched her during the exam.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment against the defendants in such amount as justified by the evidence. She is represented by Greg A. Hewitt of Hewitt & Salvatore PLLC in Fayetteville.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia case number 5:17-cv-04212