The former Chief Financial Officer for the Bexar County Medical Society has sued her former employer for sex discrimination and retaliation. See San Antonio Express News report. Former CFO Patricia Baldeschwiler served in the post about eight years. According to her lawsuit, Ms. Baldeschwiler and other female employees began to experience sexual discrimination from the Chief Executive Officer, John Wisneiwski. The plaintiff says she took her complaints to the executive committee of the BCMS in October, 2009. She was fired three weeks later. So, of course, the lawsuit claims she was fired in retaliation for opposing discriminatory practices.
As I have mentioned before, discrimination is often subjective and difficult to prove. But, if an employer fires someone soon after a complaint of discrimination, then the suit becomes one involving retaliation. Retaliation is much easier to prove.
The Express News report mentions that Ms. Baldeschwiler received her right-to-sue notice from the EEOC in September, 2010. But, she did not file suit until now after receiving a separate right-to-sue notice from the Texs Workforce Commission’s Civil Rights Division. That is, surely because the former CFO preferred to file suit in state court. A plaintiff who wishes to file in state court must obtain a right-to-sue notice from the Civil Rights Division of TWC.