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Confidential Hot Line Apparently Wasn’t

INDIANAPOLIS (CN) - A manager says she was fired 3 hours after she complained to a "purportedly anonymous" company Web site about sexist and racist harassment by one of the company's owners. Michelle Miller says she oversaw operations of all 15 Wireless @ Work offices until she reported co-owner Steve Unversaw's behavior with women and his remarks about minorities.

Miller's federal complaint claims Unversaw made "inappropriate comments" to her and about her and about other female employees; that Unversaw said black people "tended to be 'thieves and con artists;'" that he accused a black employee of "stealing a phone and 'acting his color;'" and told her that "by hiring black employees she was not protecting the interest of the company," among other things.

Miller, who was branch development manager and in charge of hiring, says she reported the sexual harassment to the supposedly anonymous hot line after she saw Unversaw making "sexist comments" to another female employee.

Three hours later, Unversaw's co-owner, Matt Clarke, fired her, she says.

Miller seeks punitive damages for a hostile workplace and retaliation. She is represented by Kathleen DeLaney.

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