Fired Chief Exec Sues Tobacco Growers Co-Op

Source from:  news.cincypost.com Associated Press LEXINGTON 11/19/2007

Former Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative CEO Danny McKinney has filed a lawsuit claiming that age discrimination led to his ouster last year. McKinney also said in his suit that co-op President Roger Quarles "manufactured a complaint of sexual harassment" to pressure the co-op board to fire McKinney, breaking contracts that would have employed him to age 65. McKinney sued the co-op, Quarles and board members for punitive and compensatory damages, including $1.16 million in lost salary; $44,615 in lost bonus; $417,351 in health insurance premiums through age 84; and the value of other lost benefits. The suit was filed last week in Fayette Circuit Court. It alleges breach of contract, age discrimination, retaliation, tortuous interference with employment and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The co-op released a statement Wednesday "vigorously" denying the allegations and stating McKinney was an at-will employee and the co-op fired him to cope with financial pressures that "threatened its existence." The co-op has represented burley tobacco growers in Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri and West Virginia since the 1920s but has been troubled since the 2004 federal tobacco quota buyout ended the price support program the co-op administered. "Termination of Mr. McKinney's employment was a business necessity, not personal," the co-op said. "Mr. McKinney received a fully funded pension and generous supplemental retirement benefits from the Association." Enditem