By Associated Press - Wednesday, November 20, 2019

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A gender discrimination lawsuit against the head of a Rhode Island YMCA has been allowed to move forward.

WPRI reports Wednesday that a federal judge cleared the path for a lawsuit filed by two former YMCA employees against Steven O’Donnell to move toward trial.

The suit filed by Linda Dykeman and Karen Cooper in December 2017 claims O’Donnell subjected them to gender-based bullying, mistreatment and harassment.



An independent investigator hired by the board of the YMCA found the complaints by Cooper and Dykeman were brought “in good faith.”

A spokeswoman for the Greater Providence YMCA says the organization and O’Donnell look forward to defending themselves against the two plaintiffs.

No trial date has been scheduled yet.

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