Second construction worker claims racial discrimination at Levy project

NEW ORLEANS - A second construction worker has filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the company helping to rebuild the New Orleans levee system.

Claiming the onsite supervisor did not want black employees, Troy Hankton filed suit against Target Construction Inc. and Royce Jennings on Jan. 9 in Orleans Parish District Court. The defendants removed the case to federal court in New Orleans on Feb. 16.

Hankton was hired by the defendant in September 2010 as a full time laborer at the LPV 105.2 Army Corps Levy Project. Despite robust hiring at the job site, Hankton was laid off from employment in January 2011, his suit claims.

Hankton argues that he was singled out and intentionally discriminated against by the defendants because of his race.

According to the lawsuit, after receiving notice of a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by Lester Ricard, another black employee, Target Construction promptly rehired Hankton. Ricard filed his racial discrimination lawsuit against the company in September 2010 that claimed the job site supervisor said that there were two too many black employees.

Hankton is asking for an award of damages for conscious pain and suffering, physical injury, mental distress, humiliation, emotional distress, loss of income and employment, loss of benefits, loss of wages, loss of anticipated wages, loss of promotion, defamation, attorney's fees and interest.

The plaintiff is represented by Gonzales attorney Jean-Paul Robert.

U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier is assigned to the case.

Case No. 2:12-cv-00443