Woman Files Lawsuit over Multiple Employment Law Violations

Unfair and abusive treatment of employees is an issue that has come to the forefront in Iowa and across the nation. Even with the greater amount of light being shined on this troublesome problem, there are still people who face this type of workplace discrimination every day. Even if they complain to their employer about it, it does not necessarily mean that the behavior will change and they will be treated in a way that adheres to the law. When they have little recourse, they may want to discuss the matter with a legal professional to consider a lawsuit.

A lawsuit has been filed against a fertilizer company. The woman who filed the case alleges that she was discriminated against because of her gender, received unequal pay and faced sexual harassment. In addition, she says that her eventual firing was a violation of the law. The woman filed her case in November 2017 naming the employer and three other employees as defendants. She was hired in July 2014 to be a warehouse administrator. She was transferred to a buyer position the next month. The buyer position was a higher paying job, but she never received a raise. She complained, but was told it was because of a hiring freeze.

The woman was told she was a good worker, but that she was unreliable. She responded by saying that she missed time because of migraines and a health issue in her family. As she continued to report incidents of workplace violations, she was accused of being insubordinate and heard comments regarding women not being able to do certain jobs and other misogynistic statements. She also says that a male employee tried to show her images of a naked woman. She reported this, but nothing was done. In February 2016, she says she was injured on the job. After a panic attack about returning to the same environment, she was put on extended leave. Later, she was dismissed.

Being confronted with harassment, unequal pay, discrimination and other workplace violations can make doing a job difficult. Reporting it is meant to alleviate the issues, but in some cases, it does no good. In this case, the woman alleges that the treatment she was subjected to ran the gamut and crossed several different types of workplace violations from her unequal pay to sexual harassment to a workplace injury. Those who are dealing with problems like the woman in this case should consider doing the same by discussing a case with a qualified attorney.

Source: tspr.org, “Sex Discrimination Lawsuit Against Iowa Fertilizer Company,” Jason Parrott, Feb. 8, 2018