CLARKSBURG – A Sodexo worker says she was a victim of racial discrimination while working at West Virginia University.
Juliette Johnson filed her lawsuit in federal court against Sodexo Inc. and its subsidiary SDH Education West LLC.
According to the complaint, Johnson, a Black woman from Morgantown, says she began working for Sodexo in August 2021 as a food service provider. She was stationed at a WVU campus dining facility. In September 2022, she requested a change in her schedule and was moved to another WVU campus dining facility to accommodate that request.
At the new location, Johnson was under the direct supervision of Angelica Lusk. A few weeks after the change, Johnson says she was in the break room with two other Black women when Lusk told them in a derogatory tone, "You people cannot go on break together." She also says white employees were allowed to congregate in the break room together without incident or chastisement.
Johnson says she was written up for taking an "unauthorized break" despite being told by Lusk to do so.
She says Lusk often reminder Johnson and others that she was the supervisor, sometimes without being prompted.
Johnson says she filed a complaint against Lusk in October 2022. On November 4, 2022, Johnson says she was placed on an unpaid suspension for an indefinite period of time for insubordination. When she asked for specific instances of insubordination, Johnson says Lusk couldn't provide concrete examples.
On January 3, 2023, when she returned from the suspension, Johnson says she was told her employment was being terminated effective immediately.
Johnson accuses the defendants of racial discrimination, hostile work environment and retaliation, all violations of Title IX and the West Virginia Human Rights Act.
She seeks compensatory damages, back pay, front pay, overtime pay, punitive damages, pre-judgment interest, court costs, attorney fees and other relief.
Johnson is being represented by Christopher M. Turak and Michelle Marinacci of Gold Khourey & Turak in Moundsville.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia case number 1:24-cv-0001