WINFIELD — A woman is suing Sunbridge Putnam Health Care for sexual harassment and workers' compensation law violations.
Bruce Medley, an employee of Sunbridge, was also named as a defendant in the suit.
Sunbridge is doing business as Genesis Health Care Putnam Center.
Jamie N. Craig was hired in June 2009 as a certified nursing assistant and worked there until she was terminated on Oct. 26, 2020, according to a complaint filed in Putnam Circuit Court.
Craig claims during her employment she was subjected to persistent, severe and pervasive sexual harassment by Medley, who is a managerial-level employee.
Medley would make romantic advances toward Craig, made inappropriate comments and sexual innuendo and regularly schemed ways to get her alone, according to the suit.
Craig claims she toward the end of her employment Medley's harassment became physical in nature and he attempted to hiss her several times and tried to put his hand down her pants on multiple occasions.
Craig claims on one occasion, Medley trapped her in a bathroom and put his hand in her pants, but she was able to push him away and escape.
On Aug. 1, 2020, Craig was caring for a resident when she fell and was injured, according to the suit. Craig then filed for workers' compensation benefits for her injuries and was placed on light duty restrictions for a short time.
The defendants continually forced her to work outside of her restrictions and then terminated her employment while she was still on light duty and had an active workers' compensation claim. She was also not given a reason for her termination, according to the suit.
Craig claims the defendants' actions violated the West Virginia Human Rights Act and the West Virginia Workers' Compensation Act.
Craig is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is represented by Michael P. Addair of Addair Law Office in Hurricane.
Putnam Circuit Court case number: 21-C-172