CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (AP) — Five African-American former employees of a West Virginia gas pipeline contractor are suing the company for racial discrimination.
Aaron Bruce of Flatwoods; Andre Bruce of Jessup, Maryland; Terrence Doster of Ambridge, Pennsylvania; Jeffery Edwards of Moreno Valley, California; and Derrick Reynolds of Monaca, Pennsylvania filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday in West Virginia against CKS Pipeline Contracting. The company is based about 20 miles south of Clarksburg.
The lawsuit says CKS laid off four of the five on the same day in April 2013, without explanation. A fifth was laid off less than a month earlier. The lawsuit claims the company discriminated against the former employees because they are black. They are asking to be rehired and for back wages.
CKS managers didn't immediately return a telephone message Wednesday.