Charleston computer software firm, CEO sued for sexual harassment by ex-profits VP | Company

A former gross sales government of a Charleston engineering firm is suing the firm and its main government officer for sexual harassment, alleging she was fired days soon after elevating problems about her boss’s actions towards her.

Susan Burris submitted the criticism in state courtroom in Charleston against Atlatl Software and Justin Scott following the federal Equal Employment Option Fee was not able to take care of the make any difference all through its evaluation.

Burris is in search of reinstatement to her former function as vice president of gross sales as perfectly as monetary damages for the alleged misconduct and for Atlatl’s decision to terminate her immediately after she submitted a formal complaint.

Atlatl has not filed a response with the courtroom. In an emailed statement, the business reported it was knowledgeable of the criticism and denied the allegations.

“We will vigorously defend ourselves in court, the place the allegations have been produced, and do not intend to tackle them in the media,” the company stated.

Burris was vice president of gross sales from Nov. 17, 2015, by June 26, 2020, according to the lawsuit.

Scott joined Atlatl in June 2019 as main growth officer right after serving as a specialist. He was promoted to CEO in April 2020.

In the course of Scott’s time as a expert, Burris stated, he engaged in conduct that made her feel “unpleasant.” In minutes of their to start with conference, Scott requested her personalized issues and complimented her eyeglasses in a way that was “creepy,” the lawsuit alleges.

The habits continued and escalated when Scott joined Atlatl as a senior manager and became her supervisor, according to the complaint. Burris explained that he would power hugs on her, leered at her and invaded her own house by standing too close and occasionally touching her.

The Aug. 20 court submitting in depth a 2019 business office vacation social gathering where by Burris alleged her manager grew to become “noticeably intoxicated” on alcoholic beverages provided by the company. She mentioned Scott commented on her and a woman companion’s appearances, place his arms close to their hips and “forcefully pulled them both close to him so that he could sandwich himself in concerning the two of them,” prompting them to pull absent.

Also, Burris mentioned that Scott ongoing to stare at the gals and abide by them and asked a dilemma about their intercourse lives.

The lawsuit claimed that Scott’s carry out was in open see of workers and enterprise officials who failed to intervene and stop him. Burris stated the attendees involved investor Claudius “Bud” Watts IV, the founder of Conference Avenue Capital who is explained in the grievance as Atlatl’s owner, and other board associates.

Afterward, Burris explained Scott began to hinder her operate effectiveness by refusing to answer her work-similar concerns and excluding her from meetings.

She reported she was fired a few times after reporting his actions to the company’s human source manager.

The lawsuit stated Scott’s perform created a hostile do the job natural environment and that Atlatl violated her civil legal rights by failing to sufficiently supervise, handle, report or self-control him for his perform and by retaliating from her by firing her.

Atlatl will make 3-dimensional application that enables suppliers to rapidly visualize goods they want to make. The business begun out as an interior know-how venture at Andrews-primarily based SafeRack, which was seeking to enable customers visualize on a computer screen how its industrial catwalk methods would in good shape inside their warehouses and factories.

The commence-up was spun off in 2012 when it moved its headquarters to Charleston from Georgetown County.

Atlatl normally takes its name from a product developed to support historical hunters hurl spears at prey with higher speed and accuracy.