CHARLESTON – A Kanawha County woman says she was sexually harassed by a fellow Thomas Memorial Hospital employee.
Brittany Branham filed her complaint March 6 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Herbert J. Thomas Memorial Hospital Association.
According to the complaint, Branham began working at the hospital in September 2020. In December of that year, she was asked to train new employee Kenny Tucker. She says Tucker, who she says is 30-35 years older than her, began making inappropriate sexually explicit comments to her.
Branham detailed some of the comments in the complaint, including Tucker telling her he hadn’t had sex with his wife for many years, talking about his penis, saying he wanted to have sex with Branham and “many other sexually harassing, illegal and totally inappropriate comments.”
She says she reported Tucker’s behavior to supervisor Deonna Fields, but nothing changed. She reported it again to Fields a week later, but still nothing changed. In July 2021, Branham says she made a third report about Tucker to Fields. Again, nothing changed.
In August 2021, she says she made a fourth complaint about Tucker to Fields. This time, Fields notified her supervisor. Soon, Tucker was fired. And two weeks later, Fields was fired.
“Deonna Fields was fired because she failed to take any action whatsoever about the valid reports of sexual harassment made by the plaintiff,” the complaint states.
After Fields was fired, Branham reported to Yolanda Anderson, who she says was a friend of Fields.
Branham says Anderson retaliated against her by refusing to assist her as her job duties required.
“In fact, Ms. Anderson was very cold toward the plaintiff,” the complaint states. “This aforementioned retaliatory activity by Yolanda Anderson continued toward the plaintiff, Brittany Branham, until she was constructively discharged on December 22, 2021.”
Branham accuses the defendant of sexual harassment, hostile work environment, negligent retention and negligent training. She says she suffered indignity, embarrassment, humiliation, annoyance and inconvenience.
She seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages, pre-judgment interest, attorney fees, court costs and other relief.
Branham is being represented by Mark A. Atkinson of Atkinson & Frampton in Charleston. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 23-C-202