NEW ORLEANS - A New Orleans man sued the Cornerstone Chemical Company and a Cornerstone supervisor, alleging unlawful discrimination and retaliation based on race, according to documents filed on March 2 in New Orleans federal court.
Plaintiff Okula Muhammad, an African American, was a reactor operator at the Cornerstone chemical plant in Westwego starting in 2014.
Muhammad's lawsuit says he was fired by his supervisor, defendant Greg Ritter, in December 2018 despite a positive work record, based on an incident that the plaintiff said was fabricated due to racial bias. Muhammad appealed the termination through his union and his employment was reinstated almost a year later.
In April 2020, the plaintiff was fired by defendant Ritter again in alleged retaliation to safety and operations concerned that he expressed to management. Muhammad subsequently filed a Charge of Discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in New Orleans and was given the right to sue.
The lawsuit says that Cornerstone violated the Louisiana Environmental Whistleblower Statute, which protects whistleblowers who bring to light safety concerns in a possible environmental danger.
Muhammad is seeking repayment of his lost wages and other damages deemed appropriate by the court. He is represented by the Law Office of Kevin S. Vogeltanz LLC of Mandeville.