Fayette man claims religious, sexual discrimination

A Fayette County man claims he was terminated from his job when he complained of religious discrimination and sexual harassment at his North Union workplace.

In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh, Patrick Haines, of 25 Oak St., Dunbar, said his co-workers at Brand Builders Associates began to harass him in 2010, approximately three years after he first started working at the company's facility at 714 Braddock View Drive, Mt. Braddock.

According to the lawsuit, Haines “was subjected to profane speech, expletives and sexualitybased remarks and name calling that were highly offensive and/or blasphemous” to his religious beliefs. Haines is a devout, practicing Christian, according to the lawsuit.

In addition, Haines' said in the filing that his co-workers sexually harassed him.

Haines asked management to stop the harassment, but nothing was done, according to the lawsuit. In July 2011, Haines was let go from his job after an incident in which another employee spat on him. The other employee was recalled to work, according to the lawsuit, but Haines was not.

Through his attorney, Joseph H. Chivers of Pittsburgh, Haines is seeking an unspecified amount in monetary damages and a court order requiring the company to end sex- and religious-based discrimination practices.

No one from the company, which according to the lawsuit manufactures specialty automotive products, returned a phone call seeking comment.