Bernie Hornick
bhornick@tribdem.com
—
A former branch bank manager is suing Hermitage-based First National Bank, saying her dismissal was due to gender bias, not to a short register or any fault of her own.
Teresa Kuhne of Clermont Street, Stonycreek Township, is seeking compensatory and punitive damages in excess of $75,000 in the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Johnstown.
Kuhne said she was a branch manager at an FNB branch inside the Giant Eagle in Johnstown.
On Oct. 24, 2008, the branch came up $2,000 short in the daily accounting. Kuhne said she notified the security department in line with the bank’s guidelines.
Kuhne said the security department told her that no violations were found and no written warning would be given to her.
But, according to the suit, Kuhne’s supervisor told her the investigation was being reopened. Kuhne received a final written warning on Nov. 20, 2008.
She complained that her treatment was more severe than male branch managers had received.
Then, in January 2009, a bank customer supposedly made a lewd comment to a bank teller at the branch. Kuhne said the teller never reported the sexual harassment to her.
“On Feb. 6, 2009,” the lawsuit said, “plaintiff was wrongfully terminated based upon the pretext of her inability to properly control her branch and handle the alleged ‘sexual harassment’ of a teller by a customer.”
FNB spokeswoman Jen Reel said Monday the company doesn’t comment on pending litigation.
Kuhne had filed a discrimination charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The commission issued a right-to-sue notice – which might give Kuhne’s case more weight – in February.
The case was sent to the Alternate Dispute Resolution program of the court.
Kuhne had worked for the bank or its predecessors beginning in 1994.
