In a dramatic legal showdown, a Louisiana resident has taken on two corporate giants, alleging severe workplace discrimination and violations of federal employment laws. Ernest Cox filed a complaint against Danos, L.L.C., and Chevron U.S.A. Inc. in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana on September 23, 2024. The lawsuit accuses Chevron and Danos of creating a hostile work environment, engaging in disability discrimination, and retaliating against him for exercising his rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
The complaint outlines a series of troubling events that led to Cox's termination from his position as a Planner Scheduler with Chevron through Danos. Cox alleges that he was subjected to discriminatory practices due to his disabilities—depression, PTSD, and Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease—and that these conditions were exacerbated by inadequate workplace accommodations. According to the filing, after suffering from panic attacks and depression following a traumatic incident at sea in 2020, Cox took FMLA leave but was terminated shortly after returning.
Cox's legal battle intensified when he was rehired by Danos at Chevron's request in December 2021. However, tensions escalated in May 2023 when Cox experienced an allergic reaction while working offshore at the Chevron Genesis platform. Despite informing his supervisors about his medical condition, he claims that Nurse Preston Dedeaux spread false rumors about him being a drug addict after finding medication in his locker without permission. This incident allegedly led to further harassment and ultimately influenced Chevron's decision to rescind an employment offer.
Cox asserts that these actions violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. He also accuses the defendants of interfering with his FMLA rights by terminating him before he could complete necessary paperwork for medical leave related to an appendix surgery.
The plaintiff seeks compensatory damages for lost wages and benefits, emotional distress, punitive damages for malicious conduct by the defendants, as well as attorney’s fees and other costs associated with pursuing this case.
Representing Ernest Cox is attorney Christopher A. Minias from The Minias Law Firm based in New Orleans. The Case ID is: 2:24-cv-02313.