A former employee of energy technology firm Holtec International said in a federal lawsuit Monday that she was forced to resign in January in the face of harassment and illegal practices on medical and family leave.
Gereka Bracey is seeking reimbursement for lost earnings, punitive damages, damages for emotional distress, and legal costs, according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court for New Jersey.
Bracey said she was hired as a welder at Holtec’s Camden. N.J., production hub in March 2018. She was among no more than three women on a shop floor of about 100 employees, and was subjected to unfair treatment by management and harassment by one co-worker, the complaint says.
Bracey said she was generally the last shop employee to be assigned specific work, meaning she ended up doing sweeping, wiping, or other activities that did not match her skills.
Starting in October 2019, she was also subjected to harassment by a male co-worker, including whistling “in a cat-calling manner” and inappropriate comments, the lawsuit says. Bracey complained to her supervisor and Holtec human resources, but was required to work with the employee in December of that year after being told that would not happen, it adds.
Starting in March 2019, Bracey took leave under the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act to deal with medical issues and mental-health concerns. She also required leave under the New Jersey Family Leave Act after receiving guardianship of her 24-year-old son, who is autistic and has significant developmental delays.
In January of this year, Holtec reportedly said Bracey had used up all her available leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act and denied her request to use time under the New Jersey Family Leave Act to care for her son.
Holtec did not respond by deadline Wednesday to a query regarding the lawsuit.
