EAST ST. LOUIS – Madison County employees taunted and harassed former map and plat technician Janice Koehler according to a suit Michael Gras of Brentwood, Mo. filed in U.S. district court on Dec. 12.
“These taunts included comments regarding her service dog, her self care activities during lunch breaks, and implications that she was a drug addict,” Gras wrote.
“This harassment was not welcome and was so severe that it effectively altered the terms and conditions of Ms. Koehler’s employment.”
The suit alleges discrimination, retaliation, hostile environment, and failure to accommodate a disability.
It also claims Koehler has a history of traumatic brain injury, stress, and anxiety.
“Despite these impairments she was always able to perform the essential functions of her job,” Gras wrote.
The suit identifies Koehler as a resident of Ohio.
The county hired her in August 2018. According to the suit, she applied for promotions to field technician and office manager and was rejected because of her disability, and she claims there was no reason for rejection except pretext.
Koehler asked to be allowed to work from home in the fall of 2020.
“Other similarly situated employees were allowed to work from home,” Gras wrote.
He wrote that she would have been able to perform her essential functions at home, but that the county didn’t allow her to do so.
In October 2020, she became sick and threw up, the suit says.
Koehler was sent home and thereafter was allegedy informed she wouldn’t be allowed to return until a mental health professional evaluated her.
Dr. Jeremy Jewell diagnosed her with several mental health conditions and she disagreed and strenuously objected, the suit claims.
Jewell allegedy ordered her to undergo months of treatment.
The suit claims that Koehler found a physician who said she could return but the county insisted that Jewell clear her.
“Plaintiff was never allowed to return to work unless she complied with defendant’s unreasonable demands,” Gras wrote.
The suit claims she’s entitled to full compensation for deprivation of rights and loss of wages, benefits, opportunities, and promotions, as well as full compensation for distress, pain, suffering, anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life.
The court clerk assigned District Judge David Dugan but he recused himself and the clerk assigned Senior District Judge Phil Gilbert.