NEW ORLEANS – A Louisiana woman has filed a lawsuit against Freedom Staffing and Leidos Holdings claiming she was terminated by the company in retaliation for reporting racial and gender discrimination by a supervisor.
Melissa Jourdain, a resident of St. Charles Parish, filed a lawsuit in federal court against Freedom Staffing and Leidos Holdings, citing racial and sexual discrimination, hostile work environment and retaliation in violation of the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 1991, as well as Louisiana Employment Discrimination Law.
According to court documents, Jourdain, who is Black, claims she was hired by Freedom Staffing to work as a mid-level networking operations specialist. Jourdain claims she was the only Black female in that position and faced discrimination and differential treatment from supervisor Johnathan Cain.
Jourdain's lawsuit recounts a hostile work environment, with allegations of unwarranted surveillance, harassment and uncomfortable behavior by Cain. She also says she was denied the option to work from home during a COVID-19 outbreak despite her white counterparts being allowed. Jourdain highlights instances where Cain allegedly targeted her and other Black employees for termination, creating a hostile atmosphere. The complaint includes accounts of Cain's intrusive actions, such as following her to the bathroom, eavesdropping on conversations, and making her uncomfortable at her workspace. According to Jourdain, Cain's behavior caused adverse effects to her mental health, leading to prescriptions for migraines, insomnia and depression.
In her lawsuit, Jourdain claims she reported the discriminatory behavior to human resources in January 2023, but despite promises of protection against termination, no corrective action was taken. Jourdain claims she faced continued retaliation and was eventually terminated from her position on March 14, 2023.
Jourdain says she filed a discrimination charge against the defendant with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on May 5, 2023, and received a notice of right to sue on August 17, 2023.
She is seeking compensatory and punitive damages for lost wages and benefits, mental anguish, emotional distress and medical expenses plus interest, attorney fees, court costs and other relief.
Jourdain is being represented by attorney Helen M. Daniel of Daniel, Williams & Associates in Houston.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana case number 2:23-cv-06869