CHARLESTON – A Kanawha County man is suing his former employer alleging that he was retaliated against for filing a grievance against the CEO after she allegedly peered in on him while using the restroom.
Ted J. Rhim filed a complaint in Kanawha Circuit Court against Cheryl Bever and Goodwill Industries of Kanawha Valley Inc. alleging hostile work environment and other counts.
The suit states on Dec. 14, 2018, the plaintiff was employed by Goodwill and used the restroom adjoining the conference center because of GI issues. He alleges while he was in a stall, Bever, the CEO, entered the restroom and began kicking the stall doors. He alleges Bever peered through the crack in the stall door and watched him, then screamed at him that he should not be in that restroom.
"Defendant Bever's conduct in entering the men's restroom, kicking stall doors open, peering in at plaintiff, and screaming at plaintiff were completely unnecessary to accomplish any other goal than to single out plaintiff, and humiliate and embarrass plaintiff," the suit states.
The plaintiff alleges he filed a grievance on Jan. 3 and he was fired in retaliation on Jan. 29.
The plaintiff is seeking all reasonable sums due, attorney fees and court costs. The plaintiff is represented by L. Dante diTrapano and D. Christopher Hedges of Calwell, Luce diTrapano PLLC in Charleston and Lia DiTrapno Fairless of DiTranpano Law Firm in Charleston.
The case has been assigned to Judge Louis King.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 19-C-713