In a compelling legal battle, a former employee has accused a prominent charter school of discriminatory practices and retaliation. The complaint was filed by Xiomara Jones in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on June 10, 2024, against Universal Creighton Charter School, operating as Universal Institute Charter School.
According to the court documents, Xiomara Jones began her employment with Universal Creighton Charter School in December 2021 as a janitor. Jones alleges that she faced severe sexual harassment from a co-worker on December 29, 2022. The harassment included unwanted physical contact and an unsolicited kiss. Despite reporting these incidents to her supervisors, Jones claims that her complaints were met with hostility rather than support. "After filing complaints about the harassment," Jones states in her filing, "I was constantly watched, unfairly criticized, and disciplined."
The situation reportedly escalated when Jones was suspended on January 13, 2023, for being outside her assigned work area during a scheduled break. Upon returning from suspension on January 17, 2023, she found herself burdened with an increased workload without any additional compensation or permission to work overtime. This new workload included cleaning five additional bathrooms and multiple stairwells—tasks that extended her workday by three hours.
Jones further details instances of targeted mistreatment upon returning from vacation on May 1, 2023. Unlike standard practice where duties are divided among staff during an employee's absence, Jones discovered that her colleagues had been instructed not to cover her areas. Additionally, she faced disciplinary actions for using her cellphone during work hours despite other employees doing the same without repercussions.
The final straw came when Jones was terminated after continuing to report the discrimination and harassment she faced at work. She contends that this termination was a direct act of retaliation for engaging in protected activities under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Jones is seeking various forms of relief from the court including back pay with benefits she would have received if not for the alleged discrimination and retaliation. She also seeks front pay if deemed appropriate by the court, compensatory damages for emotional distress and punitive damages for future pecuniary losses. Additionally, she requests pre- and post-judgment interest along with attorney fees and costs associated with the lawsuit.
Representing Xiomara Jones is Mark R. Natale from Malamut & Associates LLC. The case is being overseen by Judge RBS under Case ID: 2:24-cv-02525-RBS.