Firm files federal lawsuit against UPS

January 24, 2024 – Sacramento, CA. Today the firm filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of client Aaron Young against United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) in the Federal District Court in Sacramento. The lawsuit asserts claims under federal civil rights laws and California employment statutes, alleging pervasive race discrimination and harassment against African American employees, and retaliation against Mr. Young for standing up to and reporting it.

In 2021, Mr. Young, a longtime UPS supervisor and an African American man, was transferred to the company’s Rocklin, CA facility, where fewer than 15 out of 500 employees are African American and virtually all other employees are Caucasian. The lawsuit alleges numerous instances of racist behavior at the Rocklin facility, including:

• White employees placing a racially offensive doll on the keyboard of an African American employee.

• White employees blaring racially offensive and sexually explicit music on company property and singing along to the lyrics, including repeated use of the N-word.

• A white employee openly expressing hatred towards Black people and delighting in causing them discomfort, saying he enjoys seeing the looks on their faces when he tells them he hates them.

The lawsuit alleges that UPS management not only failed to address the racially and sexually harassing environment but also promoted and tolerated such behavior, often laughing off complaints.

As proof of the racist animus at UPS, Mr, Young also alleges that, after he was fired, certain UPS employees photoshopped Mr. Young's face onto an image of a Church's Fried Chicken employee—a racially derogatory and offensive stereotype designed to demean Mr. Young for his race and celebrate his retaliatory and discriminatory firing. 

The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages.

Phillips, Erlewine, Given & Carlin LLP is committed to pursuing justice for victims of discrimination and harassment in the workplace. Mr. Young is represented by firm employment lawyers Randy Erlewine and Kyle O’Malley.