WINFIELD – A former Hampton Inn employee says she was wrongfully terminated because she nursing her infant child.
Andrea Friend filed her complaint March 14 in Putnam Circuit Court against Gateway Hospitality Hurricane – which is doing business as Hampton Inn Winfield/Teays Valley – and hotel General Manager Joshua Fabus.
According to her complaint, Friend initially was told by Fabus she could use open rooms to pump. However, she says the defendants abruptly began writing her up for nursing.
Hoosier
“Fabus and Hampton Inn terminated the reasonable accommodation of allowing plaintiff time to nurse pump,” the complaint states. “Fabus and Hampton Inn then terminated plaintiff’s employment for reasons related to her nursing and/or pumping in violation of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.”
Friend claims the defendants failed to make reasonable accommodations for her known limitations related to pregnancy and childbirth.
She says she has suffered loss of pay, emotional pain, suffering, humiliation, aggravation, annoyance, inconvenience, mental anguish, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and other damages. She seeks back wages, fringe benefits, actual damages, court costs, attorney fees, witness fees and other relief.
Friend is being represented by D. Adrian Hoosier of Hoosier Law Firm in Charleston.
Putnam Circuit Court case number 22-C-30
