New Haven, CT, March 21, 2023 – Kotchen & Low LLP has been retained by the Law Offices of Nitor Egbarin and Plaintiffs Donrudy Loiseau, Quinton Hebron, and Dwayne Small to represent Plaintiffs in a pending class action lawsuit filed against Bozzuto’s Inc. and three of its employees: James Jones, Chuck Cerreta, and Joel Santiago.
Bozzuto’s is a total service wholesale distributor based in Cheshire, Connecticut. Plaintiffs allege that Bozzuto’s discriminates against Black employees by segregating Black employees into lower paying positions, engaging in retaliatory practices against Blacks, disciplining Blacks more harshly than their White colleagues (up to and including termination), and repeatedly using and condoning anti-Black racial slurs. Plaintiffs bring claims on behalf of themselves and the class for discrimination, retaliation, and hostile work environment in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1981 and Title VII, 42 U.S.C. §2000e, et seq.
Plaintiffs are former employees of Bozzuto’s who faced discrimination. For instance, in addition to being denied positions and wage increases, Mr. Loiseau was subject to a hostile work environment when his colleague crashed into his forklift, called him a racial slur, and spit on Mr. Loiseau’s equipment. Similarly, Plaintiff Small, who worked for Bozzuto’s from 2017 to 2022, was frequently denigrated by his boss, denied wage increases and promotions, and assigned to the worst work assignment at Bozzuto’s North Haven location (the “Fridge Room”). Plaintiff Hebron worked for Bozzuto’s for approximately five years. During his tenure, he was subject to a hostile work environment and disparate treatment, including, for example, being paid less than his White colleagues, denied positions/promotions, and called racial slurs by colleagues.
The case is assigned to United States District Judge Janet C. Hall, who has stated that “[Plaintiffs’] allegations are extremely serious and, if proven at trial, could very well be sufficient for a reasonable jury to return a verdict on one or more of [their] claims.”
The operative Second Amended Complaint, which added disparate impact claims on behalf of Plaintiffs and the class, can be read here.
The case is Loiseau v. Bozzuto’s Inc., No. 3:22-cv-01485 (D. Conn.).