Liberty Bank hit with charge of harassment

Former financial adviser Michele Osborn alleges her supervisor, Phil Wannenmacher, manager of Liberty Investment Services Inc., discriminated against her and sexually harassed her from February 2003, when she started, until she resigned Feb. 24.

On April 20, Osborn filed the charge with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

EEOC spokeswoman Sharron Blalock said she couldn’t acknowledge the charge unless EEOC files a lawsuit on Osborn’s behalf. Investigations typically last 60 days to nine months.

Springfield Business Journal obtained a copy of the charge from Osborn’s attorney, Anderson Law Group in Kansas City. Click here for the discrimination charge: Page 1|Page 2. Editor’s Note: Page two of the source document inaccurately states that Osborn resigned in 2005.

Denise Anderson and Stephanie Mendenhall represent Osborn. Mendenhall said EEOC hasn’t assigned an investigator to the case yet.

Gary Metzger, president and CEO of Liberty Bank, also is mentioned in the charge and accused of knowing about the harassment and not taking action. The charge states that Metzger “told Mrs. Osborn not to tell anyone about what Mr. Wannenmacher had done to her.”

Wannenmacher, a former state representative, and Metzger could not be reached for comment. A Liberty Investment representative said Wannenmacher was out of the office the week of June 26. SBJ left repeated messages on Metzger’s voicemail and with his assistant.

Osborn deferred comment to her attorneys.

See SBJ’s July 3 issue for more on the discrimination charge against Liberty Bank.