NEW ORLEANS -- A federal court has dismissed a claim of discrimination filed by a food service manager against her former employer, a parish juvenile detention center.
Synthia Jackson, a longtime employee of the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center, resigned from her post in August, 2014, then filed discrimination claims under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Jackson, who first started working at the center as the food services manager in 1994, alleges there was ongoing discrimination against her as an African-American woman.
But the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana disagreed. On Aug. 15 it issued a summary judgment in favor of the Florida Parishes Juvenile Justice Commission and its center.
Jackson said, from the beginning of her employment, she was never regarded as a management worker, which, she alleged, was dominated by white males who enjoyed extra perks and pay.
In her complaint, Jackson said she underwent major surgery in June 2014 and took leave under the FMLA. During the leave, the court documents state, she continued to receive calls from the center but was not consulted when staff were fired for allegedly stealing food items worth $100.
She described the claims against the workers as "'unconvincing' as defendants 'slept at the switch' when more than $2 million were embezzled in another case."
"The plaintiff alleged that from 2008-2014, management rode bicycles without consequence while other employees worked and that the 'lackadaisical attitude' of management created more work for female administrative staff members." according to the opinion written by Chief Judge Nannette Jouvette Brown.
The plaintiff further argued that after she submitted two weeks' notice, the defendants did not allow her to continue to work.
Jackson filed her claim for damages in the 21st Judicial District Court for the Parish of Tangipahoa two years after her resignation, but the defendants remove the case to federal court.
The defendants argued for summary judgment on the Title VII claim "because she cannot establish a prima facie case of discrimination as she did not suffer an adverse employment action." They were also unsure whether she was alleging discrimination over her gender or race.
Jackson “voluntarily resigned her employment under circumstances which do not show that she was constructively discharged," the defendants stated.
The plaintiff did not make any arguments in support of her FMLA claim.
"Considering that plaintiff has not established a prima facie case of either her hostile environment claim or disparate treatment claim, the court grants the defendants’ motion to the extent it seeks dismissal of the plaintiff’s Title VII claims," Brown wrote in her order. Moreover, considering that the plaintiff does not oppose the defendant’s motion ... that it requests dismissal of plaintiff’s FMLA claim, the court will dismiss the plaintiff’s FMLA claim."