ST. LOUIS - A Bridgeton man is suing the City of Normandy, alleging race discrimination, a hostile work environment and wrongful discharge by the city.
The suit was filed by attorney Lauren H. Bridge on behalf of plaintiff Kevin Gibson in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, according to court documents.
Gibson, who is identified as “white” in his filing with the court, alleges that he was involved in an automobile collision on May 18, 2019, in the course of picking up parts for a lawn mower owned by the city. He alleges he was not at fault and he allegedly suffered a number of injuries and trauma, including cracked ribs and a concussion.
The suit alleges that Gibson was instructed to not return to work due to his injuries, and that he was not released to return to work until January 2020. Gibson allegedly filed a worker’s compensation claim related to his injuries.
Following behaviors from Normandy Mayor Maurice Hunt that the suit characterizes as racist against the city’s white employees, the suit alleges that Gibson and the only other white employee in the Public Works department were both terminated without reason in March 2020. The suit also alleges that Hunt “began to get rid of” the city’s white employees following his appointment as mayor in early 2020.
The suit also alleges that Kevin Hodges, a public works employee identified as Black in the suit, was fired in August 2020 following his complaint to Hunt regarding Hunt’s comments Hodges believed were racist toward white employees.
Gibson is requesting a jury trial and seeking economic damages, injunctive relief and compensatory damages.