A lawsuit previously filed by two former employees of Pleasant Valley Hospital in Point Pleasant, W.Va., claiming they were fired based upon their sexual orientation, is still active and will go to the fifth judicial circuit court, according to a Daily Sentinel report.
Terry Greenwald-Hill and Amy Leach, former human resources and marketing directors for PVH, filed the wrongful termination suit, alleging they were fired because of their sexual orientation. Specifically, the complaint alleges that William Barker, vice president for business development at PVH, and Thomas Schauer, PVH's CEO and CFO, were "involved in, conspired, aided or abetted and participated in the [board of trustees'] decision" to terminate Ms. Greenwald-Hill and Ms. Leach, according to the report.
In addition, the complaint said the termination of the two women was in violation of the West Virginia Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation and negative sex or gender stereotypes.
Several co-defendants have been dropped as part of an agreement with the presiding judge. The remaining co-defendants include PVH, 10 members of PVH's board of trustees, Mr. Barker and Mr. Schauer.
Mr. Schauer claims the decision to fire Ms. Greenwald-Hill and Ms. Leach was his decision alone, and it was not done on the basis of sexual orientation. According to the report, Mr. Schauer said: "My decision to terminate [Ms.] Greenwald-Hill and [Ms.] Leach was not based upon their gender or any perception regarding their sexual orientation. I did not have any knowledge or belief regarding Ms. Greenwald-Hill's sexual orientation, nor did I care. I considered [Ms.] Leach a friend and had met her partner several times."
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Terry Greenwald-Hill and Amy Leach, former human resources and marketing directors for PVH, filed the wrongful termination suit, alleging they were fired because of their sexual orientation. Specifically, the complaint alleges that William Barker, vice president for business development at PVH, and Thomas Schauer, PVH's CEO and CFO, were "involved in, conspired, aided or abetted and participated in the [board of trustees'] decision" to terminate Ms. Greenwald-Hill and Ms. Leach, according to the report.
In addition, the complaint said the termination of the two women was in violation of the West Virginia Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation and negative sex or gender stereotypes.
Several co-defendants have been dropped as part of an agreement with the presiding judge. The remaining co-defendants include PVH, 10 members of PVH's board of trustees, Mr. Barker and Mr. Schauer.
Mr. Schauer claims the decision to fire Ms. Greenwald-Hill and Ms. Leach was his decision alone, and it was not done on the basis of sexual orientation. According to the report, Mr. Schauer said: "My decision to terminate [Ms.] Greenwald-Hill and [Ms.] Leach was not based upon their gender or any perception regarding their sexual orientation. I did not have any knowledge or belief regarding Ms. Greenwald-Hill's sexual orientation, nor did I care. I considered [Ms.] Leach a friend and had met her partner several times."
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