PHILADELPHIA – A bookkeeper is suing her employer over a claim that she was discriminated against because of her Albanian culture.
Mirela Marini filed a lawsuit April 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against Micro Technology Group, Inc. alleging discrimination and harassment, as well as a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
According to her claim, since being hired as a bookkeeper in January 2014, Marini has faced discrimination and harassment, which included being told by management to not speak Albanian on the phone to her mother, using alleged excessive amounts of perfume or lotion – all of which culminated in being written up on July 10, 2014 for wearing perfume.
She claims that her complaints of discrimination and harassment were not being addressed, up until her final complaint in late October 2014, which led her to be fired on Oct. 30, 2014. She claims that she was fired as a result of discrimination and retaliation for complaining.
Marini is seeking reinstatement or front pay, punitive damages, compensatory damages for future pecuniary losses, pain and suffering and mental anguish.
Marini, who is demanding a jury trial, is being represented by attorneys James A Bell, IV and Christopher A. Macey Jr. of Bell & Bell L.L.P. of Philadelphia.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Court Case number 2:16-cv-02023-CMR