Worker files federal discrimination lawsuit against Lansing Board of Water & Light.
Detroit, MI (JusticeNewsFlash.com)–Corey Clay, an electrical worker, hired by the Lansing Board of Water & Light in 2001, filed a federal lawsuit, on February 9, 2009, in the U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids, Michigan, against his employer. As reported by the Detroit Free Press, Clay’s worker’s rights lawyer alleges, in court documents, he has been repeatedly discriminated against by supervisors and co-workers based on his race.
Clay’s legal team has filed several allegations citing multiple racial discrimination incidents, specifically where two employees donned Ku Klux Klan hoods to taunt and scare Clay while he was working at a job site in November 2008. Clay reported the incident to his union representative. The BWL union represents close to 420 employees. Clay has reported multiple incidents to supervisors, but has been forced to continue to work with the offenders who typically hold supervisory positions over Clay.
In 2003, a crew leader sprayed a bleach filled water bottle on Clay saying, “I’m going to bleach you white.”, according to the lawsuit. The federal discrimination claim also alleges superiors refused to hire Clay for jobs because of race, was disciplined for acts where white employees face no penalties, and received less training and pay because of his ethnicity. The employment law attorneys representing Clay assert he suffered loss of wages, career opportunities and has been repeatedly embarrassed and humiliated.
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