A Cass County resident is suing the City of Atlantic for sexual discrimination, in violation of the Iowa Civil Rights Act. According to documents filed Monday in Cass County District Court, Laurine Price, of Atlantic filed suit Feb. 25th, alleging the City’s Parks and Recreation Department Board of Directors refused to hire her for the Parks and Rec Director’s position, or Assistant Director’s position. She has requested a jury trial.

Price claims she was denied an interview three separate times, when the Parks and Rec Director’s job became open in May 2008 and in 2010. She says she was also denied an interview in the fall of 2014, when the Department made it known they would soon be looking for an Assistant Director. In each instance, a man was hired for the job.

In her lawsuit, Price says a Parks Board member told her “The Board questioned whether a woman would be capable of handling the physical requirements of the Director Position.” Price says in two instances, the Board hired a man with less experience than she has. According to a fact sheet included in the lawsuit, Price has a Bachelor’s Degree in Recreational Therapy and at the time of her first application, nine-years of experience in the field of recreations, which made her “Well-qualified for the Director position.”

Court documents say when the Board began taking applications for the Assistant Parks and Rec Department Director, she reviewed the job posting and job description and determined she was qualified for the position. After sending the required materials (Cover letter, three letters of recommendation and resume) to Director Roger Herring, Price said Herring responded on Dec. 5th, 2014, with a job description that included additional requirements not originally posted on the Iowa Parks and Recreation website on Nov. 28th.

Specifically, the new job description required applicants to dead lift 70 pounds, have a valid Iowa Driver’s license and be able to operate power tools, requirements which Price acknowledged in an e-mail back to Herring, that she could meet. The lawsuit says Herring worked with the Parks Board to screen candidates, and again passed her over for an interview. Ultimately, the Board hired Seth Stasshelm, who, according to the suit, says has “less relevant work experience,” than Price.

The lawsuit seeks a judgment that will “Fully and fairly compensate her for her injuries [mental and emotional distress, anguish, humiliation, embarrassment, lost enjoyment of life, medical expenses, lost wages, benefits, future earnings” and other aspects of employment]. It also seeks reimbursement for relevant legal fees and court costs.

Atlantic Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring was not immediately available for comment on the matter.