We filed a race, age, disability discrimination and workers compensation retaliation lawsuit in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County, against Caravan Ingredients Inc., d/b/a Corbion, located at 100 Adams Drive, Totowa, New Jersey, as well as its human resource manager, Stephanie Wypasek and supervisors Brian Wyss and Phil Stem.
The lawsuit alleges as follows, among other allegations: Plaintiff is an African American male, age 54 and employed by Corbion for 22 years. He was diagnosed with Carpal tunnel syndrome, which resulted from the use of machinery and equipment at Corbion. Over the course of several years, Plaintiff repeatedly requested that Corbion accommodate his condition. However, other than providing a wrist band, Corbion did nothing to alleviate plaintiff’s condition. Plaintiff subsequently applied for workers’ compensation benefits. Two months later, Wypasek, Wyss and Stem terminated his employment alleging that plaintiff damaged a forklift while driving, and that he failed to report the accident. Plaintiff contended that the damage to the forklift was relatively minor, and his supervisors knew about the minor damages and allowed him to keep using the forklift. Plaintiff contended that the true reason for his termination was retaliation for filing workers’ compensation benefits, disability, race and age discrimination. Plaintiff’s position was replaced by a younger non-African American employee.
Plaintiff’s lawsuit alleges race, age and disability discrimination in violation of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD), Retaliation in violation of the LAD and the workers compensation law and aiding and abetting discrimination and retaliation in violation of the LAD and workers compensation law.
Generally, unless there is an employment agreement between the employer and employee, an employer is free to hire or fire anyone at will, with or without reason. However, under the LAD, an employer cannot discriminate against any employee in the terms and conditions of that employee’s employment including hiring, promotion, discipline, salary, etc. Further, workers’ compensation insurance law prevents an employer from terminating or disciplining an employee for taking or applying for workers compensation benefits.
If you have any information helpful to this case, or if you are victim of workplace discrimination or harassment, kindly contact us at 201-222-0123 or send us an email at [email protected] with a detailed description of your case.