Former Amerigas employee claims retaliatory discharge

A former Amerigas Propane employee has filed suit against the company and one of its supervisors, alleging she was illegally fired after she reported illegal activity to one of her supervisors.

At the instructions of Diane Moore, a supervisor at Amerigas, Karen Castiller's co-workers broke into Castiller's ex-husband's shed and attempted to steal personal property from it on Nov. 13, 2006, according to a complaint filed Nov. 10 in Madison County Circuit Court.

When Castiller learned of her co-worker's actions, she reported them to Moore as well as to Moore's supervisor, Tom Herrmann, the suit states.

Moore fired Castiller on Nov. 17, 2006, after she reported the incident, according to the complaint.

Castiller claims she was released because of her report.

But Moore gave a different reason for her termination.

"The alleged basis for the above-referenced termination was Diane Moore's allegation that Karen Castiller had improperly used company property," the suit states. "Other employees at their Amerigas Propane, Inc. office, including Diane Moore, routinely used company property similar to Karen Castiller's use of property."

Castiller should be entitled to lost wages and fringe benefits, should be awarded damages for her pain and suffering and should be awarded punitive damages, the suit states.

In the two-count suit, Castiller is seeking a judgment in excess of $100,000, plus costs.

Michael J. Brunton of the Brunton Law Office in Collinsville will be representing her.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 08-L-1062.