KINGWOOD — An employee is suing a public service district and a county commission, citing alleged age discrimination and wrongful discharge.
John Keener filed a complaint in Preston Circuit Court against Preston County Public Service District No. 1 (PSDI) and the Preston County Commission for alleged violation of the West Virginia Human Rights Act.
According to the complaint, between December 2001 and July 2, 2018, Keener was employed by PSDI as a plant manager and a chief operator. Despite receiving only one paycheck although holding two positions, Keener performed his job duties diligently without compliant from the board or anyone else until May 2018, when he was suspended from his position for unspecified misconduct that never occurred. Keener alleges the suspension was due to one board member's desire to hire his son. As a result, Keener was terminated without due cause and singled out for termination in part based upon his age.
The plaintiff holds Preston County Public Service District No. 1 and Preston County Commission responsible because the defendants allegedly refused to pay proper wages, manufactured fraudulent grounds for terminating him for the purpose of eliminating him and installing a relative of a member of the board, and terminated him based upon his age.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment for punitive damages, attorney's fees, compensatory damages and another relief that the Court or jury deem proper and just. He is represented by David Grunau of David Grunau, Attorney at Law in Morgantown.
Preston Circuit Court Case number 18-C-122
