Talladega County Jail Employee files federal suit against county and Sheriff

A federal lawsuit brought by a Talladega County Jail employee against a group of county officials alleging discrimination and civil rights violations has been made public.

Shirley Barclay and her attorneys, claim Barclay was denied a promotion, based in part on gender and race — a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Civil Rights Restoration Act.

The list of defendants named in the complaint includes the Talladega County Commission, the Talladega County Sheriff’s Department, Sheriff Jimmy Kilgore and Scott Bonner.

The lawsuit, initially filed in the Northern District of Alabama in May and updated in October, alleges Barclay was denied promotion opportunities, “despite consistent performance evaluations that resulted in steady pay raises since 2007.”

Barclay, who has worked for the department since October 2007, completed mandatory training needed to fulfill the duties of entry clerk, a position former Sheriff Jerry Studdard assigned her to following the retirement of the previous clerk on July 31, 2011.

After more than six months on the job, Barclay claims she was reassigned to work in a guard tower, and “a white, female corrections officer with less experience and education assumed her position as entry clerk.”