CHARLESTON -- A St. Albans woman has sued a staffing agency and a Kanawha County business for sexual and racial harassment as well as retaliation.
Victoria G. Stokes filed her complaint in Kanawha Circuit Court against Adecco USA Inc., Gestamp WestVirginia LLC and Heather Stone.
According to the complaint, Stokes is a Black woman who was hired by Adecco, the staffing agency, to work at Gestamp as a racker at its South Charleston automobile parts manufacturing facility.
Stokes says she was subjected to sexual and sex harassment by several individuals at Gestamp, including Stone and Tim Wall. Stone was a team leader.
Stokes reported these actions to Scott Hughes of Gestamp Human Resources department, but she says nothing was done. She also says she was removed from the racker job to being a floater, which meant less desirable "busy work" such as cleaning toilets.
She says she was treated as if she was a liability and a snitch, and she says she was told she would "run to HR any time anything happens." She says she was known as the "Black girl" and "that one mixed girl who almost got Tim Wall fired."
Stokes also claims Stone frequently accused her of having a romantic relationship and flirting with a male co-worker.
After an incident with Stone in September 2022, Stokes says she was suspended pending an investigation. When she contacted Adecco the following week for an update, Stokes says she was told she had been fired the week before.
Stokes accuses the defendants of sexual harassment, hostile work environment, racial harassment, retaliation, reprisal, aiding, abetting and civil conspiracy.
She seeks general and compensatory damages, pre- and post-judgment interests, attorney fees, court costs and other reilef.
Stokes is being represented by Michael P. Addair and Kurt E. Entsminger of Addair Entsminger in Charleston. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Carrie Webster.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 23-C-1024