ST. LOUIS — A St. Charles woman is suing an economic development agency and its officers, citing alleged gender discrimination.
Karen Ellis filed a complaint in the St. Louis 22nd Judicial Circuit Court against St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association, doing business as St. Louis Regional Chamber; James Alexander; and Joe Reagan, alleging the defendants violated the Missouri Human Rights Act (MHRA).
According to the complaint, Ellis alleges that on Nov. 14, 2016, she met with Alexander to discuss her promised promotion from director of economic development to vice president of economic development. Despite being qualified for the position, she was allegedly denied due to budget issues and discouraged the plaintiff from seeking another vice president position because she is a mother of young children and because her mother is ill. On Feb. 23, the position was offered to a married man with children who received a $150,000 salary, plus a guaranteed bonus of $37,000.
The plaintiff holds the defendants responsible because they allegedly refused to promote her because she does not conform to company's gender-based norms, expectations and preferences; failed to take action to investigate or take corrective action with respect to the plaintiff's multiple complaints; and failed to implement effective and appropriate procedures to stop inequitable treatment of employees based on gender.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks actual, compensatory and punitive damages of more than $25,000, with pre-judgment interest, attorney's fees, costs, expenses of litigation and other relief the court deems proper. She is represented by Melvin D. Kennedy of Law Office of Melvin D. Kennedy LLC in St. Louis and Cyrus Dashtaki of Dashtaki Law Firm in St. Louis.
St. Louis 22nd Judicial Circuit Court Case number 1722-CC11136