Water Works employee claims wrongful discharge

A former American Water Works employee claims she was wrongfully terminated in a lawsuit filed Sept. 29 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

Seeking in excess of $100,000 in damages, Deborah White claims the company breached its contract by discharging her in October 2004.

White, who had been employed since 1988, claims she was fired after taking several days leave in September 2004 for a serious medical condition. She claims American Water Works violated the Family and Medical Leave Act.

"As a direct and proximate result of defendant's conduct, plaintiff has been damaged in that she has the right to her employment position as well as the benefits of full employment," the complaint states.

She also claims the company stated her discharge was due to performance deficencies, but it bypassed normal disciplinary procedures in breach of policy.

Gibson is represented by Ferne P. Wolf of Sowers & Wolf in St. Louis.