ELKINS – A Virginia woman has filed a lawsuit accusing Davis Medical Center of racial and age discrimination.
Karen Hargrave, who lives in Tazewell County, Virginia, filed her complaint in federal court against Davis Medical Center, which is located in Elkins.
According to the complaint, Hargrave was hired by the defendant on May 6, 2019, as a Patient Access Manager. She says she was the first and only Black manager for DMC, and she says she was over 40 years old when she worked for the defendant.
After Melanie Dempsey left the CFO position in early 2022, Hargrave says new CFO William Koch and others began excluding her from meetings and gave her a performance evaluation that led to a Performance Improvement Plan. Despite assurances from Human Resources Vice President Jon Steen that she would be informed about any complaints against her, Hargrave was terminated by Koch on May 20, 2022
She says she was unfairly treated an eventually terminated from her job because of her race and age.
Following her termination, Hargrave says her position was advertised with a requirement for a bachelor’s degree in business or related field. But, she says it was filled by a 30-year-old white woman with only high school education. Hargrave says that hiring decision is clear evidence of age and racial discrimination.
Hargrave seeks compensatory damages, She also seeks permanent injunctions declaring the defendant's actions were violations of West Virginia Human Rights Act, ordering it to cease and desist from engaging in such and ordering it to start a training program about employment discrimination.
She also seeks compensatory damages, past and future lost wages, punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interests, court costs, attorney fees and other relief.
Hargrave is being represented by Amy C. Crossan and Neil C. Bouchillon of Bouchillon Crossan & Colburn in Huntington.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia case number 2:24-cv-00001