WINFIELD — A Lincoln County woman is suing Total Productive Staffing for discrimination.
Total Productive Staffing is doing business as Coast Personnel Services.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia Inc. also was named a defendant in the suit.
Taylor Salmons applied through Coast to work for Toyota on Aug. 22, 2022, and took the initial test given to applicants on Aug. 26, 2022, according to a complaint filed in Putnam Circuit Court.
Salmons claims she passed the test, but on Aug. 30, 2022, Coast informed her that she was not eligible for re-hire at Toyota, as she'd previously worked there from Sept. 24, 2021, until Feb. 9, 2022.
During her previous employment, Salmons was subjected to inappropriate sexual remarks, advances and text messages from co-workers and informed representatives of the defendants about the sexual harassment. She was fired, according to the suit.
Salmons claims she previously was informed by Coast she would be eligible to re-apply about six months after her termination.
Salmons claims the defendants wrongfully terminated her employment, in violation of the West Virginia Human Rights Act in retaliation for her complaints of sexual harassment and hostile work environment.
"As a direct and proximate result of the defendants actions, plaintiff is entitled to damages for indignity, embarrassment, humiliation, emotional distress, annoyance and inconvenience (as well as all other permissible compensatory damages) in an amount to be determined by the jury," the complaint states.
Salmons claims she was discriminated against based on her gender.
The defendants actions were willful, wanton, malicious and/or undertaken with reckless disregard and/or reckless indifference to the rights of the plaintiff, according to the suit.
Salmons is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is represented by Mark A. Atkinson of Atkinson & Frampton in Charleston.
Putnam Circuit Court case number: 23-C-98