SODA director accused of sex discrimination
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Sexual discrimination dating to February 2001 has been alleged against SODA executive director Roy Boatner in a complaint filed by a former employee who claims she lost her job because of the accusation. Shonda Barnes, a former SODA employee from Mannsville, alleges the situation took place during a six-month from February to August last year when she was terminated. Her complaint was registered with the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission in Oklahoma City. Boatner has denied the charge. He claims the accusation is politically motivated and says an internal inquiry by SODA officials “found no merit to the charges.” Barnes signed the complaint, dated Feb. 24, 2002. She alleges discrimination based on gender and wrongful termination for actions dating from February 2001 through the following August 7, the date of her termination. She started working for SODA in April 1996. She claims harassment resulted because of her refusal “several times” to meet Boatner at various locations outside the office. When the requests continued, Barnes reported the alleged activity to Tommy Shepard, her supervisor, and also lodged a complaint with Robert Watts, Madill city manager and a SODA board member. By early July, she said, the situation created a hostile work environment and she took annual leave. After returning to work, she claimed Boatner approached her “on or about July 23 … to accompany her out of town. When I declined this offer, Mr. Boatner reprimanded me for being off work.” “Job abandonment” was listed as the reason for her termination on August 7. Attorney David Pyle of Sulphur represents Barnes. He said the matter is presently in mediation. Should mediation fail, the case could move into court, a step Pyle says his client will pursue, if necessary. Grievances go beyond sexual harassment, the attorney points out. The complaint also alleges wrongful termination, wrongful prosecution and libel. Pyle added a second (unnamed) complainant, is also being assisted. Boatner said a committee was named by Paul Buntz, Durant city manager and SODA president, to investigate the accusation. He was exonerated in a report finding “no basis for further action” presented at an October board meeting. Pyle denied the action was politically motivated with an announcement timed to follow Boatner’s announcement he would seek election to the District 6 State Senate seat he once held. Efforts to file the complaint, he added, were under way well before the announcement but were delayed by EEOC procedural steps and a change in attorneys. Source : ardmoreite.com |