Same- sex couple sue Urban League over firing

Two women who say they were fired from positions at the Columbus Urban League because of their sexual orientation filed lawsuits in federal court in Columbus on Wednesday.

Chyna Mitchell, 26, and Joselyn Parker, 33, both of Olde Towne East, allege in separate suits that the Urban League, Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Hightower and Chief Financial Officer Mary Love broke state and federal law by terminating their employment after they disclosed their same-sex relationship.

"It’s very important for us to get the word out that this is happening still," Parker said. "In 2018, this still happens, and it happens even in a place that is supposed to protect our rights."

The filing in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio came on the opening day of the four-day National Urban League conference, which is expected to draw more than 20,000 attendees to the city.

Hightower countered the lawsuit claims Wednesday, telling The Dispatch that the two women were let go for performance and policy violations, not because of their sexual orientation.

Hightower said the women already had complained to the board, the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, all of whom found no cause.

"I think that this is an unfortunate situation for them to try to discredit the reputation of the Columbus Urban League," she said. "We have been exonerated three times. This was about performance, period. And violation of policies."

Mitchell began as a part-time employee of the League in October 2014 and was promoted over several years, becoming associate vice president of strategic projects and investor relations in January 2017, according to the court documents.

Parker started working for the group that same month, serving as director of education and youth services.

The two struck up a friendship that developed into a "long-term, consensual, romantic relationship" over several months, according to the documents. They later disclosed the relationship to Hightower and others.

The filing notes that Mitchell did not have any form of management or supervisory authority over Parker. But shortly after disclosing the relationship, the two were told to limit their interaction "to avoid an appearance of a conflict of interests."

Mitchell also received a formal written reprimand and was suspended for three days without pay for "insubordination and violation of company policy," according to documents.

Her job responsibilities and schedule were subsequently changed, and she was ordered to have no interaction with Parker while at work. In August, she was fired, according to documents.

Parker’s employment was terminated in late May. She alleges in her lawsuit that her work performance was not criticized until after the disclosure of her relationship with Mitchell a few weeks earlier.

The women are seeking monetary damages including back pay.