PITTSBURGH - A Pittsburgh woman is suing Allegheny County’s juvenile detention center and her supervisors, alleging discrimination and emotional distress.
Lynette Drawn-Williamson, an African-American, filed a lawsuit July 10 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania against Allegheny County, Shuman Juvenile Detention Center and two supervisors, alleging discrimination based on her race and national origin.
According to the filing, Drawn-Williamson was subject to a hostile work environment and retaliation, and was ultimately terminated because of her race and because she opposed unlawful conduct.
The suit says Drawn-Williamson was employed as deputy director at the Shuman center in Pittsburgh for more than 18 years and was suspended after an altercation between staff and a juvenile resident in 2013 and then subsequently fired.
The filing states that only the African-American parties involved in the incident were disciplined or terminated while a Caucasian employee was not.
Drawn Williams seeks compensatory damages plus attorney fees and court costs. She is represented by attorney Todd J. Hollis of Hollis Law Offices in Pittsburgh.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania case number 2:15-cv-00897-DSC.