PITTSBURGH - A federal lawsuit says a female basketball coach was hired to head a middle school boys program but the job was then given to a man.
A lawsuit was filed Jan. 17 against Avonworth School District, Mike Mancuso, and Andrea Patton by Stephanie Ziegler in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Ziegler alleges that she was discriminated against based on her gender when she was replaced by a male coach, Tom Lullich, after being publicly named as the Boys' Head Middle School basketball coach at Avonworth.
She had already started working in this position and ran six open gym practices for students. Patton told Ziegler that she was "overqualified for the position," which Ziegler argues is not a valid reason for her replacement.
The plaintiff is seeking relief under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Equal Pay Act (EPA), and the Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Act (MWA). She is asking for damages for lost past and future wages, other economic damages, compensatory damages and punitive damages, pain and suffering, embarrassment, humiliation, attorney fees and costs.
Mart Harris of The Trial Law Firm represents Ziegler.