9-19-14
Ohio.com reports that former WNIR personality Maggie Fuller has filed the lawsuit against owners Bill and Bob Klaus accusing them of "abetting unlawful discriminatory practices, causing Fuller to lose $38,000 a year in income plus benefits, suffer mental anguish, humiliation and loss of reputation." Fuller left WNIR a year ago alleging the Klaus' declined to discipline morning man John Denning who was reported to have referred to her using a crude anatomical reference at a public event. At a station party, Fuller alleges Denning was in talking to listeners when he repeatedly called Fuller the C-word. Bill Klaus told Ohio.com, ?The allegations are completely without merit and we intend to defend this frivolous lawsuit vigorously.?
Fuller says when she was hired as part of the morning team at WNIR, she was ?required to endure a degree of sexual innuendo with her male colleagues.?And, Denning "repeatedly treated Fuller with hostility and disrespect on air and shut off Fuller?s microphone to prevent her from speaking during joint broadcasts, while the Klaus brothers tolerated and encouraged Denning?s behavior." Fuller did not return to work, considering herself ?constructively discharged? because of the ?ongoing hostile environment,? the suit said.
According to Ohio.com, the lawsuit asks that Fuller be reinstated at the station and compensated for lost wages, or if not reinstated, given lost income as well as ?future wages and benefits.? It also seeks $50,000 in compensatory and punitive damages. The Ohio Unemployment Compensation Review Commission later ruled that Fuller had just cause to quit and faulted WNIR management for its failure to discipline Denning for his outburst ?in a meaningful manner.?
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