A former employee of a county administration is taking legal action against her previous employer, alleging a pattern of racial and national origin discrimination. On November 24, 2025, Cassandra Martinez filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio against Montgomery County, Ohio, and its Board of County Commissioners. The lawsuit highlights serious accusations of workplace discrimination and retaliation that allegedly led to her constructive discharge.
Cassandra Martinez, an Asian American of Filipino descent, began her employment with Montgomery County in August 2005. Over the years, she ascended through various roles within the Human Resources Department due to her dedication and exemplary performance. However, things took a turn when she started observing discriminatory practices under the leadership of Stephanie Marshall and Gayle Berry. According to Martinez’s complaint, these individuals manipulated hiring practices to favor Caucasian employees while minorities faced disparate treatment. She recounts instances where Caucasian employees were promoted without competitive processes or proper qualifications—a practice she claims was not extended to minority employees.
Martinez alleges that after raising concerns about these discriminatory practices internally, she faced retaliation from her supervisors. This included being assigned additional managerial roles without appropriate compensation, being excluded from key meetings integral to her role’s success, and receiving unwarranted poor performance reviews filled with inaccuracies. Furthermore, she claims that after filing a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the retaliation intensified to such an extent that it created an intolerable work environment.
The lawsuit seeks several forms of relief from the court: reinstatement to her position; compensation for lost wages and benefits; compensatory damages; punitive damages; liquidated damages; interest on any awarded sums; compensation for adverse tax consequences due to lump-sum payments; reasonable attorney fees; and any other legal or equitable relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Martinez are attorneys George M. Reul Jr. and Sarah N. Froehlich from Freking Myers & Reul LLC in Cincinnati. The case is presided over by Judge Thomas M. Rose under Case ID 3:25-cv-00407-TMR-CHG.
Source: 325cv00407_Martinez_v_Montgomery_County_Ohio_Complaint_Southern_District_Ohio.pdf
