General Mills flour mill in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY — A lawsuit alleging violations of the Missouri Human Rights Act has been moved from Jackson Circuit Court to federal court by a former General Mills employee.
In its Feb. 11 notice of removal, the defendant argued that the federal court has original jurisdiction over the matter because the parties are citizens of different states and the claimed damages exceed the statutory threshold.
According to the filing, Rhonda Hattley initiated the lawsuit on May 29.
While disputing the allegations and denying any unlawful conduct, the defendant asserts that it is clear the amount in controversy exceeds the required threshold, the notice states.
On Feb. 14, 2024, Hattley filed her first charge of discrimination, alleging she was subjected to race discrimination, disability discrimination, sex discrimination, age discrimination, retaliation and a hostile work environment. She was issued a notice of right to sue on March 6, 2025.
As a 52-year-old Black woman, Hattley claims she suffers from a condition requiring her to use the restroom more often than the average person and that condition substantially limits major life activities, according to the complaint.
Hattley claims she began working for General Mills in 2008 and in 2015, she was assigned a job duty without easy access to a Women’s Restroom facility. She requested to be provided access to a restroom, but the defendant failed to accommodate the request.
Because of the failure to accommodate, Hattley was forced to experience multiple on-the-job self-urinations.
It was also not until 2023 that she was provided access to a women’s locker room to change clothes in. She claims she was usually the only female in her department at General Mills.
Between 2016 and the present, she has routinely been disciplined and critiqued disproportionately to her male co-workers. She claims male co-workers also flirted with her and said inappropriate things to her.
Hattley claims she had someone cover her shift on Dec. 2, 2023, as was customary at General Mills, however, her employment was terminated three days later for “inaccurate protocol.”
“As a direct and proximate result of discrimination against Hattley … she suffered economic damages, compensatory damages in the form of embarrassment, humiliation, anxiety and depression,” the complaint states. “Plaintiff’s damages are in excess of $75,000.”
Hattley is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. She is represented by Cooper S. Mach of the Popham Law Firm in Kansas City.
General Mills is represented by Jeannie M. Deveney and Joseph M. Ramirez of Littler Mendelson in Kansas City.
U.S. District Court For the Western District of Missouri case number: 4:26-cv-00114
