Bailess Law Firm and Griffith Law Center, PLLC represent former employee who claims harassment and assault occurred when she was a minor
A new lawsuit filed in the Circuit Court ofKanawha County claims that Edgewood Country Club knowingly allowed a dangerous workplace culture that enabled its executive chef and other staff members to sexually harass and assault female employees, including minors, over several years.
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Filed by former banquet server Kyra Vaughan, the complaint details repeated harassment by a male employee and the country club's executive chef, starting when the plaintiff was 17 years old. Vaughan describes instances when the male employee followed her and filmed her without permission outside of the club, per the suit. She also claims she experienced unwanted touching, sexual comments, and physical intimidation by the chef while working at the club.
Vaughan alleges it came to a head when she was assaulted during a child's birthday party at the club on Feb. 24, 2024. During this incident, she claims the club's chef, her supervisor, attempted to force her into an elevator, making explicit threats while rubbing his hands up and down her body and saying, “I am going to get you in there one way or another,” despite Vaughan firmly telling him “no” and “stop.”
The complaint states that thirty minutes later, he cornered her in a walk-in cooler and made another lewd comment. “I'm going to tap that a**.”
The lawsuit further asserts that Edgewood Country Club ignored warnings from its own managers about the chef's inappropriate behavior and continued to employ him despite multiple reports from Vaughan and other female staffers. Instead of protecting its employees, the club forced Vaughan to keep working alongside the predatory chef, even after she submitted a written complaint to the club's management about the attack.
“I was a young woman trying to earn a living, and instead I was violated and subjected to horrific harassment on the job,” says Vaughan. “I'm coming forward not only to make sure the people responsible are held accountable, but also to protect other women-both employees and members at Edgewood Country Club-from experiencing the same trauma.”
The complaint describes similar experiences with the club's chef from other female employees who left their jobs after being harassed. One manager even warned female staff at the club about the chef's propensity to sexually harass women workers, per the suit. Yet, Edgewood Country Club continued to employ him, even after Vaughan and others felt forced to leave.
“Edgewood Country Club had every opportunity to stop this dangerous behavior before it escalated to physical assault,” says Griffith Law Center, PLLC attorney Travis Griffith, who, along with attorney Todd Bailess of Bailess Law Firm, represents Vaughan in the lawsuit. “Our client is entitled to the same dignity and respect as any patron at Edgewood, and we hope that the club's membership agrees once they see this case.”
This case is Kyra S. Vaughan v. Edgewood Country Club, and Luis Sanchez-Toledo, Civil Action No. CC-20-2025-C-1083 in The Circuit Court of Kanawha County, West Virginia. A copy of the complaint can be accessed here.
About Bailess Law FirmThe attorneys at Bailess Law Firm have zero tolerance for sexual harassment in the workplace. The West Virginia-based law firm takes pride in helping restore dignity and bringing hope to workers who have been subjected to unlawful employment practices.
About Griffith Law Center, PLLCGriffith Law Center has a decade of experience providing wrongful death, personal injury, wrongful termination, and school abuse law services to the Charleston, West Virginia, area.
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