Complaint Against the Ringer Centers, INC. , Filed by Deanna Peoples. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Eeoc Right to Sue)(LOELIUS, Stephen)
PARTIES
2The Ringer Centers, Inc. is a corporation that is incorporated in North Carolina.
3The Ringer Centers, Inc. was at all times hereinafter mentioned an employer within the meaning of 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq.
JURISDICTION & VENUE
4The Ringer Centers, Inc. hires citizens of the state of North Carolina, contracts with companies in North Carolina, and owns or rents property in North Carolina. As such, the exercise of
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personal jurisdiction over The Ringer Centers, Inc. comports with due process.
5The wrongs herein alleged occurred at The Ringer Centers, Inc. facility located in Guilford County and were perpetrated by The Ringer Centers, Inc. and its employees working at its facility located in Guilford County. As such, this Court has personal jurisdiction over The Ringer Centers, Inc.
6This Court has subject matter jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331 and 1341 in that Peoples is alleging a Federal Law Claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq.
and 42 U.S.C. § 1981.
7Venue is proper in this District because the wrongs herein alleged occurred in this District.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS
8Within 180 days of the conduct alleged below, Peoples filed a Charge of Discrimination with
435-2025-00963
against The Ringer Centers, Inc.
9On or about December 30, 2025, the EEOC issued and mailed a Notice of Right to Sue letter to Peoples regarding the Charge of Discrimination.
10Peoples received her Right to Sue letter from the EEOC in accordance with 42 U.S.C. § 2000e- 5, a copy of which has been attached hereto as Plaintiff's Exhibit A.
11Peoples has filed this Complaint within 90 days of the issuance of the Notice of Right to Sue letter.
12Peoples has properly exhausted her administrative remedies pursuant to 29 C.F.R. § 1601.28.
TITLE VII COVERAGE
13At all times referenced herein, The Ringer Centers, Inc. of 42 U.S.C. § 2000e(b), in that it was engaged in an industry affecting commerce and had
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fifteen or more employees for each working day in each of twenty or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year.
14At all times referenced herein, Peoples
42 U.S.C. §
2000e(f), in that she was an individual employed by an employer.
FACTS
15Peoples is African American.
16In the fall of 2023, Peoples applied for a job as administrative assistant at The Ringer Centers, Inc.
17The Ringer Centers, Inc. is a healthcare business that provides behavioral health outpatient services.
18The responsibilities and basic requirements of the administrative assistant position at The Ringer Centers, Inc. include answering phones, maintaining a friendly disposition with clients, and having basic computer knowledge.
19At the time Peoples applied for the administrative assistant position with The Ringer Centers, Inc., Peoples had three years of work experience as a customer service representative for Spectrum.
20included answering phones, maintaining a friendly disposition with clients, and having basic computer knowledge.
21At the time Peoples applied for the administrative assistant position with The Ringer Centers, Inc., Peoples had six months of work experience as an administrative assistant at Alcohol and Drug Services, Inc.
22six months of work experience as an administrative assistant at Alcohol and Drug
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Services, Inc. included answering phones, maintaining a friendly disposition with clients, and having basic computer knowledge.
23At the time Peoples applied for the administrative assistant position with The Ringer Centers, Inc., Peoples had extensive work experience answering phones.
24At the time Peoples applied for the administrative assistant position with The Ringer Centers, Inc., Peoples had extensive work experience maintaining a friendly disposition with clients.
25At the time Peoples applied for the administrative assistant position with The Ringer Centers, Inc., Peoples had extensive work experience with computers.
26At the time Peoples applied for the administrative assistant position with The Ringer Centers, Inc., Peoples was qualified for the administrative assistant position.
27Muiryeal Thames interviewed Peoples for the administrative assistant position.
28At the time Thames interviewed Peoples for the administrative assistant position, Thames was the office manager at The Ringer Centers, Inc.
29After Thames interviewed Peoples, in or around November 2023, The Ringer Centers, Inc. hired Peoples for the administrative assistant position.
30At the time The Ringer Centers, Inc. hired Peoples, Peoples had not met the owners of The Ringer Centers, Inc.
31The owners of The Ringer Centers, Inc. are Robin Ringer and Stephen Ringer.
32Robin is Caucasian.
33Robin has the authority to hire, fire, and discipline employees at The Ringer Centers, Inc.
34Stephen is Caucasian.
35Stephen has the authority to hire, fire, and discipline employees at The Ringer Centers, Inc.
36At the time The Ringer Centers, Inc. hired Peoples, Robin was unaware that Peoples was
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African American.
37At the time The Ringer Centers, Inc. hired Peoples, Stephen was unaware that Peoples was African American.
38Peoples was one of two administrative assistants at The Ringer Centers, Inc.
39The Ringer Centers, Inc. typically employed two administrative assistants.
40Although the two administrative assistants hold the same title, The Ringer Centers, Inc. typically divides the work between the two administrative assistants such that one administrative assistant handles initial onboarding duties with clients and acts as the first point of contact with clients
, while the other administrative
assistant handles insurance matters for clients and other back-end matters
41The standard practice at The Ringer Centers, Inc. was to have new administrative assistants perform the duties of the Second Administrative Assistant.
42Whenever an employee who is performing the duties of the First Administrative Assistant resigns or is terminated, the standard practice at The Ringer Centers, Inc. is to assign the First Administrative Assistant duties to the employee who was previously performing the Second Administrative Assistant duties. The Ringer Centers, Inc. would then hire a new administrative assistant to take on the duties of the Second Administrative Assistant.
43In line with standard company practice, Peoples performed the duties of the Second Administrative Assistant at the time she was hired.
44At the time Peoples was hired, Danielle [last name unknown] performed the duties of the First Administrative Assistant.
45Danielle was Caucasian.
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Public U.S. federal court record (district court docket 73105392, document 1). Source via the RECAP Archive (Free Law Project). The same record is available from PACER. Informational only — not legal advice.