SOUTHEAST TEXAS RECORD

A female operator technician has filed a lawsuit claiming she was terminated after she made complaints about gender discrimination.

Michelle Spann filed suit against Lanxess Corp. on Dec. 3 in the Eastern District of Texas, Beaumont Division.

Spann was hired as an operator technician at its Orange location on Jan. 4, 2012. According to the suit, Spann claims that from the beginning of her employment she was told by male employees that “women aren’t supposed to be back here” and that it was “not a woman’s job.” 

She claims she made repeated complaints of gender discrimination to her supervisors, but alleges her male supervisors responded by giving her substandard evaluations.

After filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, she was placed on probation when a male employee violated company rules and then blamed her. The employee admitted it was his fault and not Spann’s, but she was put on suspension and terminated, according to Span's lawsuit.

The defendant is accused of violating Spann’s civil rights.

The plaintiff is seeking an award of damages for back pay and front pay, compensatory damages for emotional pain and suffering, inconvenience, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, exemplary damages, attorney’s fees and court costs.

Spann is represented by Kenneth W. Lewis and Stephen L. Townsend of Bush Lewis PLLC in Beaumont.

U.S. District Judge Ron Clark is assigned to the case.

Case No. 1:13-cv-00700