A woman who filed a sexual discrimination lawsuit against the Polaris campus of JPMorganChase explained why she went public with her allegations.
The lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on her behalf, claimedthat Chase discriminated and retaliated against not only Aimee Doneyhue but other femaleemployees. It claimed Chase forced them to work in a sexually hostile environment.
Doneyhue claimed that female employees have faced wage discrimination and put up with a hostilework environment. The company was also accused of failing to correct the problem oncemanagers were notified.
Doneyhue, a mother of four, said that she was hired as a home mortgage consultant at the ChasePolaris campus. She was pregnant with her youngest son at the time, 10TV's Lindsey Seavertreported.
Soon afterwards, Doneyhue said that her male supervisors began to tease her.
"(They) called me hormonal, called me 'preggers,' called me 'large and in charge' and I did mybest to brush it off," Doneyhue said. "But it continued and magnified."
Doneyhue claimed that her sales soared.
"It was my first full month working there so I was already No. 1 and this person says, 'OK,let's see if you can do that again, Girly.'" Doneyhue said.
In her lawsuit, Doneyhue claimed that the name calling turned into something worse.
She said that she was called an idiot and was giving Chase a black eye.
Doneyhue claimed that she was penalized financially and was not getting credit for hersales.
That was when she claimed she contacted the company's human resources department and that costDoneyhue her job.
"They sent out a mass e-mail on my day off that said I had decided to pursue other opportunitiesoutside of Chase," Doneyhue said.
Doneyhue took her case to the government and the EEOC agreed, Seavert reported.
JPMorgan Chase's Columbus spokesman, Jeff Lyttle, sent 10TV a statement saying that the companywould not "comment on open cases, such as this."
Doneyhue said that the lawsuit is not only about the money she lost but to make sure thateveryone is welcome in the workplace.
"It doesn't matter what your worth, you are not above the law," Doneyhue said. "And myvoice, my small town Ohio, Mom of four's voice, is going to show you that is exactly the case. Youare not above the law."
Doneyhue is seeking back pay for her financial losses in her lawsuit that is being handled bythe EEOC's Cleveland office.
Their attorney told 10TV News that they are seeking class action status for the lawsuit, meaningother women could be included.
Stay with 10TV News and refresh 10TV.com for continuing coverage.
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September 30, 2009: JPMorganChase Faces Sexual Discrimination Suit
