BATON ROUGE -- An M.D. and professor at Louisiana State University is suing the school for retaliation after assisting female students in filing a complaint of sex discrimination and harassment while attending the university.
Jennifer Woerner filed a complaint on June 16 in Caddo Parish District Court against the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University Agricultural and Mechanical College, Edward F. Jones in his official capacity as Assistant Vice-Chancellor for Administration and Organizational Integrity Louisiana State University Health Science Center-Shreveport for retaliation. The defendants removed the case to federal court nine days later.
According to the complaint, Dr. Woerner, serving as Associate Professor, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Fellowship Director of Craniofacial and Cleft Surgery filed a complaint on July 1, 2019 in assistance of female students, residents and fellows asserting complaints of sexual discrimination and harassment that were occurring at LSUHSC-S.
On April 13, 2021, Dr. Woerner filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Louisiana Commission on Human Rights for gender discrimination and retaliation. On May 12, 2021, Dr. Woerner was informed by Mr. Jones and Dr. Charles Fox, III, Vice Chancellor of Clinical Affairs, that she would be a part of an internal investigation due to alleged complaints by residents against her and then was placed on administrative leave, the suit says.
Dr. Woerner alleges that her placement on administrative leave was unlawful and in retaliation for her helping female students file complaints of sexual misconduct as Mr. Jones did not have the authority to place her on leave.
Dr. Woerner seeks to be reinstated, compensatory damages and attorney's fees and costs. Dr. Woerner is represented by Allison A. Jones of Downer, Jones, Marino and Wilhite.