Keeanya Chenier, a seasoned financial manager, has filed a lawsuit against her former employer alleging racial and age discrimination. The complaint was lodged on February 5, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Lycee Francais De La Nouvelle-Orleans, Inc., and La Liaison Du Lycee Francais De La Nouvelle-Orleans.
Chenier, an African American woman over the age of 50 with nearly 25 years of experience in business finance, claims she was wrongfully terminated from her position as Chief Financial Officer on January 31, 2023. She asserts that her dismissal was part of a broader pattern of discrimination by the defendants, who allegedly replaced several African American female employees with younger white employees. According to Chenier's complaint, this conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), among other laws.
The plaintiff recounts that after joining the defendants' organization on November 16, 2020, she performed her duties without issue until her sudden termination. Chenier attempted to address what she describes as "unfounded and unsupported adverse action" internally but ultimately filed a formal complaint with the Equal Opportunity and Employment Commission (EEOC). After receiving a Notice of Right to Sue from the EEOC, she decided to pursue legal action.
Chenier is seeking compensation for various damages including back pay, front pay, lost benefits, mental anguish, humiliation, loss of reputation and enjoyment of life. She also seeks compensatory damages and attorney’s fees. Her complaint emphasizes that these actions were carried out with malice or reckless indifference to her civil rights under both state and federal law.
Representing Keeanya Chenier is attorney Karl Bernard from Karl Bernard Law LLC. The case is presided over by judges in the Eastern District of Louisiana under Case ID: 2:25-cv-00260.