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A Calhoun woman has filed a $25 million punitive damage suit against her employer, the West Virginia Division of Highways.
Janet Butler of Chloe is also asking $500,000 in compensatory damages for violations of the Human Rights Act, a hostile work environment, verbal assaults, breach of contract, negligence and intentional infliction of physical and emotional distress.
Butler, who describes herself as a laborer working for the Calhoun office of the WVDOH, has filed numerous complaints and suits against the agency starting in 1984.
The suit listed Butler's former supervisors for the past twenty years, some now deceased, including Joseph Webb, Carl Osborne, Glen Hanlin, Keith Lynch, Roy Pursley, Ed McKown, Terry Richards, Richard Kirby and Lynn Tanner.
"Beginning in the 1980s ... supervisors, superintendents and other management personnel subjected (Butler) to continued verbal abuse, harassment and threats and constantly caused the plaintiff to be uncomfortable working with and around them," said the suit, which has been filed in Kanawha County by attorney Gregory Campbell.
Butler claims the department ignored earlier efforts to give her relief.
"Butler has been singled out by her co-workers and supervisors and given numerous reprimands and suspensions for insignificant and trivial matters," says the suit.
The suit states she was left behind when co-worker Lynn Tanner accelerated a truck causing Butler to be thrown to the ground, then causing her to walk 1/10 of a mile when Tanner failed to return for her.
Butler says she worked for the highway department for sixteen years before she got her first merit raise, receiving poor evaluations preventing her advancement.
Butler has filed numerous grievances against the WVDOH for sexual harassment, violations of the West Virginia Human Rights Act and violations of the department's handbook.
The suit claims Butler has "severe mental anguish, pain and suffering, humiliation and embarrassment...impairment of her ability and capacity to enjoy life, carry out ordinary activities of daily living, work and earn money."
The suit demands a trial by jury.
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