McCune Law Group Alleges Discrimination and Retaliation Against Women's Junior College Basketball Coach

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- McCune Law Group (MLG), a premier complex litigation firm specializing in Consumer Litigation, Class Actions, and Employment Law, has filed a civil complaint against Citrus College on behalf of their client Linnae Barber. In the complaint filed on October 8, 2024, Plaintiff Barber, the women's basketball coach at Citrus College, alleges she was placed on administrative leave not long after securing the equal pay she had sought for seven years. Ms. Barber has been on administrative leave for nearly a year, and Citrus has issued a Notice of Intent to Proceed with the Termination of Ms. Barber.

Plaintiff's complaint alleges that Mrs. Barber was subject to harassment, discrimination, and retaliation due to her race, gender, and outspoken advocacy on behalf of women in sports.

Ms. Barber was hired at Citrus College in 2018. Her paid position as full-time head coach of a women's junior college basketball team is one of only two in the state, limiting equivalent opportunities elsewhere. The lawsuit alleges that, when Ms. Barber was hired, she informed Citrus College of a pay disparity between herself and another first-year coach, who was male. She also inquired about teaching a class, which the male coach had been invited to do. Ms. Barber was informed that she may not be qualified to teach due to the subject of her master's degree, and that the other coach had been with Citrus College longer than she had been, which was not true. Ms. Barber continued to follow up about pay disparity issues over the next seven years. During that time, the lawsuit alleges that Ms. Barber was witness or subject to numerous incidents that suggested racial and gender biases were at play in her struggle to secure equal pay.

The lawsuit also alleges that, during her tenure as the head coach of the women's basketball team at Citrus College, Ms. Barber was retaliated against for her strong stance on the importance of women's collegiate sports. The lawsuit alleges that Ms. Barber's team did not receive the same support as their male counterparts. Instead, the women's basketball team faced inconvenient practice schedules and consistently unfair treatment. When Ms. Barber called for necessary changes to this inequity, she allegedly faced public reprimands, harassment, and retaliation.

The lawsuit alleges that Ms. Barber's efforts to advocate for herself and for her players culminated in her dismissal of a volunteer coach, whom she later learned may have been engaging in inappropriate contact with one of her players. Ms. Barber informed the pertinent parties of her decision to dismiss this volunteer out of concern for her players' wellbeing. Ms. Barber was then told that HR would be investigating her conduct, and that her practices would be monitored. The first day of monitored practice was October 1, 2023. On October 5, 2023, Ms. Barber was placed on indefinite administrative leave. On September 10, 2024, Ms. Barber received a Notice of Proposed Disciplinary Action from HR recommending her dismissal.

"This case shines a light not only on the marginalization women often face in the workplace, but on the reality of women's athletics, which is often forced to take a backseat in terms of both resources and respect," says lead attorney Joe Richardson, who heads MLG's Racial and Economic Justice practice group. "We look forward to drawing attention to these equity issues, while fighting for our client as she fought for others."

MLG encourages anyone with relevant information or individuals who have experienced similar action from their employers to come forward. The firm is dedicated to defending workers' rights, protecting whistleblowers, and fighting against gender and racial discrimination in all settings.

To obtain comments regarding this case matter, contact McCune Law Group's Public Relations department at [email protected]. 

About McCune Law Group: MLG has supported consumer rights and fights for justice for more than 30 years. With offices throughout Southern California in Ontario, Redlands, Irvine, Rancho Mirage, and Lafayette in Northern California, MLG has proudly risen to prominence as one of the largest and most successful consumer advocacy law firms in the region. MLG also boasts a national presence and specializes in practice areas ranging from product liability and personal injury to employment law and financial services. MLG's long history of success has resulted in more than $1 billion recovered for clients and an unbeatable team of inventive, innovative, and experienced attorneys. Visit mccunewright.com to learn more. 

SOURCE McCune Law Group APC