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ST. LOUIS RECORD

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

St. Louis utility worker files discrimination suit alleging racial harassment, retaliation

Federal Court
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ST. LOUIS — A Black utility worker for St. Louis has filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging racial discrimination, workplace harassment and retaliation. 

Genica R. Watson claims that the city of St. Louis, through its employees in the Refuse Division, failed to address multiple incidents of racial hostility directed at Watson and instead retaliated against her for reporting the abuse, according to a complaint filed Nov. 4 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

Watson claims the issues began on April 3, 2023, when a white coworker allegedly used a racial slur against her.

After she reported the incident, Watson claims she was targeted with repeated acts of intimidation and harassment, including threatening graffiti, damage to her personal vehicle and frequent obstruction of her work duties. 

When she was assigned a specific area to load her truck, it was often blocked with trash or other obstacles, according to the suit.

Watson claims there were also more instances of harassment, including being moved to a different work area, where she discovered urine and items from a homeless encampment left in her space. 

A rumor circulated that she was romantically involved with her foreman, which Watson claims was used to discredit her and intensify the hostile work environment.

Watson alleges that when she addressed the rumor with her supervisors, she was met with a vulgar remark and was physically removed from the office, labeled “insubordinate.”

The tension escalated on May 25, 2023, when Watson was called back to the office and police officers were waiting. 

Watson claims her coworker who had previously used a racial slur alleged that she had tried to “mow him down” with her work truck, a claim she denied and refuted with witness testimony. 

Though initially detained by the police, Watson was released after providing evidence that she was not in her vehicle at the time of the alleged incident. Following this, she was placed on administrative leave and told it was for her safety.

Upon returning to work, Watson claims she was transferred to a new location with more physically demanding duties, such as cleaning bathrooms and hosing down trash trucks, which were outside her original job scope. 

Despite her complaints, city officials justified the transfer as necessary for her protection. 

However, Watson claims that the same coworkers who harassed her continued to visit her new work site, making her feel unsafe.

Watson suffered an on-the-job injury at her new assignment and was subsequently placed on light duty with reduced pay. 

Throughout the incidents, Watson alleges that no disciplinary actions were taken against the coworkers involved in the harassment. 

"Defendant’s conduct, by and through its employees and supervisors, was intentional, knowing, malicious, in willful and wanton disregard and reckless indifference to Plaintiff’s rights in violation of Title VII," the complaint states. "As a direct result of Defendant’s unlawful acts, as aforesaid, in violation of Title VII, Plaintiff has lost wages and benefits of employment and has suffered emotional distress."

Watson is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is represented by Nicole Harris of Nicole Harris LLC in St. Louis.

The attorney did not respond to requests for comment.

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri case number: 4:24-cv-01472

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