Former employee files suit against Seven Springs
A former employee of Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Champion has sued, claiming he was fired because of his age and because he reported alleged sexual harassment of female employees. Gregory W. Opp of Somerset indicated in the complaint, filed Thursday, that he was employed between April 1979 and March 2009. The final position he held was that of food service manager, attorney Colleen Ramage Johnston wrote in the federal complaint.
Johnston wrote that Opp filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. The complaints were dismissed in 2009, the filing stated.
In 2005, Opp became aware that several of his female subordinate employees were being subjected to sexual harassment from male employees, Johnston indicated in the suit.
From December 2005 through March 2007, he reported the harassment to various people, including those in the human resources department, the suit stated. However, nothing happened to resolve the alleged harassment, according to the suit.
Opp claimed that management at the resort tried to demote him in 2008, but there was no one else qualified to do his job.
However, Opp was fired in March 2009. A human resources manager told him it was because the bad economy, the suit alleged.
His duties were assigned to a younger employee, the suit alleged.
The filing asks for damages, and that Opp be reinstated to his former position, and receive back and future pay.