FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Employee Files Lawsuit against Appliance Warehouse for Race Discrimination         

When Paris started working for the Appliance Warehouse, he immediately realized his white supervisor harbored racist feelings towards him. But, needing the job, Paris ignored his supervisor’s derogatory comments and jokes. Paris’s supervisor tapped into a kind of sinister racism we’d like to imagine stayed in the 1950’s. On more than one occasion, he allegedly told Paris to “get to the back of the bus.” Despite segregation ending over 50 years ago, blatant racism is clearly still alive and we have work to do. Luckily, today the Civil Rights Act protects people like Paris.

On more than one occasion, he allegedly told Paris to “get to the back of the bus.”One day, according to Paris, his supervisor followed him into the bathroom, yelled at him to “eat and shit at home,” and refused to allow Paris to have bathroom or eating breaks. Meanwhile, Paris’s white coworkers did not receive the same mistreatment and were permitted to take breaks and sick days. Paris claims that he wasn’t the only one who suffered at the hands of the white supervisor because another African American employee was fired when he called off for a sick day. This type of treatment is atrocious and sickening.

A month after beginning his job, Paris became ill with the flu. But, knowing his supervisor’s racist tendencies, Paris reported to work despite being sick, as he feared losing his job. On the second day of his illness, Paris again showed up for work, but his illness had intensified. However, on the third day, Paris knew he was too sick to work and called his supervisor.

“You can pick up your check tomorrow but you don’t have a job tomorrow.” Paris’s supervisor allegedly told him.

Paris wanted to keep his job and he was ready to go to work despite being sick, so he asked his supervisor, “If I come in to work today, do I still have a job?”

His supervisor’s short “no” finalized Paris’s termination from his position. Meanwhile, the white workers continued to receive breaks and sick leave without any type of repercussion. Naturally, Appliance Warehouse denies these claims. Everything about this situation puts a bad taste in the mouth. This is clear race discrimination.  Kraemer, Manes & Associates understands that unequal treatment based on race is an abomination, which is why KM&A fights race discrimination and champion employment equality.

Full text of this complaint, as filed with the District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, is available at docket no: 2:17-cv-00830-AJS

Kraemer, Manes & Associates LLC is an employment law firm with principal offices in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, serving all counties in Pennsylvania, focusing on employment law, business law, litigation, and civil issues. KM&A clients include employees, small businesses, parties in litigation, and people with a variety of legal issues.

For more information about this case, contact Attorney Kayla Drum at 412-626-5594 or at kd@lawkm.com.