Most people in Tennessee who work realize that they could be fired if their job performance does not meet the expectations of their supervisors. However, they do not expect to be terminated for reporting malfunctioning equipment or following established company procedures. Unfortunately, a recently filed employment law case make allegations of wrongful termination and racial discrimination.
The plaintiff is an African immigrant. He claims that his former employer, Nyzak Delivery Inc, as well as the company’s owner violated employment law. According to court papers, the man began working as a courier and driver for the company in Nov. 2014. While employed there, he claims that his supervisor made racist comments about black people, accusing them of being lazy and selling drugs.
He also claims that employees were encouraged to lie about potentially dangerous mechanical issues in their logbooks. In fact, he states, he was reprimanded for logging an issue with a truck instead of verbally informing his supervisor or the company owner. However, he says that when he did verbally notify them of a mechanical issues, the problems were not resolved. At one point, court papers indicate that the brakes on the truck he was driving were in such poor condition that he had to use the emergency brake to stop.
In Dec. 2014, the man was reportedly terminated for charging approximately $9 worth of water and an energy drink on a company credit card, a practice that the plaintiff claims was common for employees. The owner of the company claims that the accusations of discrimination and wrongful termination are unfounded, saying that the plaintiff was terminated because he stole from the company. To support these claims, he argues that he has now hired several employees of African descent.
Unfortunately, workers in Tennessee who feel they lost their job in violation of employment law may be unsure of their options regarding legal recourse. However, there are experienced attorneys who are able to help these victims protect their rights and seek to hold employers responsible for their actions. Often, an initial consultation is the first step toward justice.
Source: morningjournal.com, “Former driver sues Avon Lake delivery company on discrimination claims”, Keith Reynolds, June 21, 2017