CHARLESTON — A woman is suing a Charleston hotel company after she claims her employment was wrongfully terminated.
Apryl Dillard was employed by Charleston Hotel VII LLC, G6 Hospitality LLC and John White beginning in July 2017, according to a complaint filed in Kanawha Circuit Court. Dillard claims the defendants constructively discharged her in September 2017.
During her employment, Dillard worked as a guest services representative for Motel 6 under White, the general manager, according to the suit. Dillard claims White was her direct supervisor, and she performed her work duties satisfactorily during her employment, however, she was regularly subjected to unwelcome and unlawful discrimination and harassment by White, who would make comments on her sex, gender and race.
White would regularly refer to black employees as "silverback gorillas," "big black gorillas" and "linebacker," according to the suit. Dillard claims White also called black, female employees "big, black, ape-looking" women and even called a black female guest several derogatory terms. White also threatened to physically assault a female, black guest multiple times in the presence of other guests and employees, according to the suit.
Dillard claims on multiple occasions White would hire black employees from halfway houses so that he could blame them for anything that happened at the motel. White also made inappropriate verbal and physical sexual advances to black, female employees and would solicit them, according to the complaint.
Dillard claims she was instructed by White to go against policy by not validating a bank deposit and then he accused her of stealing approximately $2,000 from the motel.
In August 2017, Dillard reported the various problems with White and sent a written statement to the corporate office, but the corporate office failed to follow up on her claims and she was fired the next month, according to the suit.
Dillard is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is represented by Phillip Estep of Phillip Estep Law Group.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 19-C-127