North Carolina University Faces Discrimination Lawsuit

Former female director alleges age and sex discrimination, retaliation

Mar. 13, 2026 at 2:54pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A North Carolina federal district court has denied Winston-Salem State University's motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a former female director of institutional assessment and research. The plaintiff alleges age discrimination under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as well as sex discrimination and retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The court found the plaintiff plausibly alleged that age-related comments by a supervisor who later helped terminate her, sexually inappropriate comments, and retaliation for rejecting sexual advances supported reasonable inferences of discrimination.

Why it matters

This case highlights ongoing concerns about discrimination in the workplace, particularly against older female employees. The court's decision to allow the case to proceed suggests the plaintiff's allegations warrant further investigation and could set a precedent for how courts evaluate similar claims of age and sex discrimination.

The details

The plaintiff, a former director at Winston-Salem State University, alleges her supervisor made age-related comments and later helped terminate her employment. She also claims the supervisor made sexually inappropriate comments and retaliated against her for rejecting his sexual advances. The court found these allegations, if true, could support claims of age and sex discrimination, as well as retaliation.

  • The lawsuit was filed in 2026.

The players

Winston-Salem State University

A public university located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Former female director

The plaintiff, a former director of institutional assessment and research at Winston-Salem State University, who is alleging age and sex discrimination, as well as retaliation.

Supervisor

A supervisor at Winston-Salem State University who allegedly made age-related and sexually inappropriate comments, and retaliated against the plaintiff.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The case will now proceed to further legal proceedings, with the court's decision allowing the plaintiff's claims to move forward.

The takeaway

This case underscores the importance of addressing age and sex discrimination in the workplace, and the role the courts play in evaluating such allegations and ensuring employers are held accountable for unlawful behavior.