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October 17, 2023 at 03:12 PM
A former Raymond James vice president is suing the firm for wrongfully terminating her after she filed a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in response to being subject to sexual harassment, discriminatory remarks and retaliatory conduct.
The suit was filed Monday by Joena Bartolini Mitchell in the Florida Middle District Court against Raymond James & Associates.
Mitchell, who was also the co-chair of the Private Client Group’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee since 2020, had worked at Raymond James for more than 15 years.
Mitchell also accuses the company of reprimanding her after taking protected leave to care for her ailing mother, as well as failing to pay her as much as male co-workers for the same work.
Over her years at Raymond James, according to the suit, Mitchell “witnessed and was the target of numerous instances of sexual harassment.”
Further, the suit states, “she was often described in sexist terms, such as being told she was too ‘aggressive’ and instructed to be more submissive, including that she should soften her image and ‘talk less and listen more.’”
All the while, the suit continues, Mitchell’s “male comparators never received the same criticism and were commended for being ‘straightforward.’”
Mitchell complained about the conduct, according to the suit.
