CHARLESTON — A former Amazon employee sued the company for failure to accommodate and discrimination.
Amazon.com Services LLC and AMZN WVCS LLC were both named as defendants in the suit.
Dana Welch was employed by the defendants in a remote position as a team manager and she worked from home from her home in Kanawha County, according to a complaint filed in Kanawha Circuit Court.
Welch claims while working for the defendants she suffered from physical and mental impairments, including autism, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
During her employment, Welch was subjected to increasing hostility in her position of employment, which caused her disabling conditions to worsen, according to the suit.
Welch claims she eventually moved to a different position of employment in a different department, which alleviated her disabling conditions and she was able to work.
"Unfortunately, despite Ms. Welch's exemplary performance in his new role, the defendants decided to place her back in the same position and department where she had previously experienced a worsening of her disabling conditions," the complaint states. "The defendants knew or should have known that such a course of action would cause a worsening of Ms. Welch's disabling conditions."
On Nov. 12, 2022, the defendants terminated Welch's employment, according to the suit.
Welch claims when making the decision to terminate her employment, it was done in whole or in part because of her disabilities.
The defendant discriminated against Welch because of her disabilities and failed to accommodate her for her disabilities, which violated the West Virginia Human Rights Act.
Welch claims she was retaliated against.
Welch is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre-judgment interest. She is represented by Paul L. Frampton Jr. of Atkinson & Frampton in Charleston.
The case is assigned to Circuit Judge Kenneth Ballard.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 23-C-631