A female bank vice president is suing the bank after she said she was fired over a photo was published of her posing in a swimsuit.
Sheri Doub is suing Citizens Tri-County Bank and bank officials Glenn Barker and C. Ann Smith in Chancery Court.
Ms. Smith, bank president, said, "Sheri Doub's lawsuit is unfounded. We made a personnel decision in the best interest of our bank and its customers. Ms. Doub's leaving the bank was handled properly, and it's unfortunate that her claims appear to be more sensational than factual."
The suit says Ms. Doub was hired in January 2000 as a customer service representative for the Signal Mountain branch of the bank that is located in Sequatchie County.
She said she was promoted to branch manager and vice president.
Ms. Doub said her picture appeared in the Lifestyle section of the Chattanooga Times Free Press on May 6, 2005, with other young women modeling the latest in swimwear.
The article listed her name and information about the swimsuit and did not give her place of employment.
She said the same day bank officials Barker and Smith came to her branch and told her she was terminated. She said she was told by Mr. Barker "she ought consider a career in modeling, since she would no longer have a career in banking."
Ms. Doub said she was told the photo had caused the bank "great embarrassment."
She said she was given no chance to defend herself and was reduced to tears.
The suit, filed by attorney Richard Korsakov, says, "No reasonable person can imagine that the defendants could summarily terminate a previously highly-performing male employee solely for appearing in sportswear in a respected local newspaper. The termination was solely because of plaintiff's gender."
The complaint says Ms. Doub has suffered emotional distress and was prescribed anti-depressive medication.
The suit asks $500,000 and says she should get her job back with back pay.