BECKLEY – A woman is suing her former employer and supervisors over allegations she was unfairly terminated due to a medical condition.
Sheila J. Cox filed a complaint in Raleigh Circuit Court against Family Options Providers Inc., Cathy Walker and Lisa Richards alleging disability discrimination, failure to accommodate and violation of the West Virginia Human Rights Act.
The suit states that the plaintiff began her employment with Family Options in June 2009 as a billing clerk. She alleges in early 2015, she was diagnosed with colon cancer and took a leave of absence to receive medical treatment from March 2015 to October 2016. The plaintiff alleges she returned to work and occasionally had to take time off from work for medical treatment.
The suit states the defendants initially accommodated her requests for time off to attend appointments but beginning in July 2017, the plaintiff alleges the defendants became "increasingly hostile" toward her and began denying requests for time off. The suit states she was terminated on Sept. 7, 2017.
The plaintiff alleges her termination was based on her disability.
The plaintiff is seeking all reasonable sums due, attorneys' fees and court costs. The plaintiff is represented by Rodney A. Smith and Todd S. Bailess of Bailess Smith PLLC in Charleston.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Darl W. Poling.
Raleigh Circuit Court case number 19-C-313