CHARLESTON — A Charleston woman is suing her former employers, alleging age discrimination and wrongful termination.
Julia E. Blackwood filed a complaint in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia against Berry Dunn LLC, Nicole Y. Becnel and Jane Doe, alleging they made up reasons to fire the plaintiff.
According to the complaint, on March 16, 2017, Blackwood was wrongfully terminated from her employment. The suit says the defendants used the pretextual and concocted claim that Blackwood had fallen asleep on the job on three separate occasions during the performance of her duties as a senior consultant.
The lawsuit states this action caused Blackwood, 45, to suffer financial and emotional distress and invasion of her privacy.
The plaintiff alleges the defendants invaded her privacy by having her photo taken without her consent when she briefly closed her eyes while on a personal lunch break. The suit says the defendants refused to pay Blackwood' the severance payment that they had promised to provide without condition.
Blackwood seeks trial by jury, compensatory and punitive damages, plus monetary damages of $1 million. She is represented by attorney Michael D. Weikle of Tiffin, Ohio.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia case number 18-cv-01216
