ST. LOUIS - Lafayette Industries North, Inc. was accused of unlawful employment practices in the St. Louis County Circuit Court.
The complaint was filed by plaintiff Matthew Gamewell on Dec. 29, 2020. The complaint was removed to federal court on May 4.
Gamewell worked for the defendant from 2017 to June 2020. Beginning in April 2020, the plaintiff says that Lafayette created a hostile work environment and discriminated against him due to his disability.
Gamewell is mostly blind and has Joubert Syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects balance and coordination.
The plaintiff accuses supervisors from the defendant of following him into the restroom and standing by the stall, telling him that he "looked like the devil and should go to hell," among multiple other instances of harassment and bullying.
The plaintiff complains that he needs no assistance in the restroom and that the supervisors persisted in following him into the bathroom only to harass the plaintiff.
Gamewell says he was retaliated against for bringing up his concerns about the supervisors' behavior by being terminated.
The defendant is sued for Missouri Human Rights Act and Americans with Disabilities Act violations. The plaintiff is represented by the Ghio Law Firm LLC of St. Louis.