Lafourche Parish Courthouse in Thibodaux.
NEW ORLEANS – A Lafourche Parish employee is suing the department in federal court, alleging he was “intentionally” discriminated against and passed over for promotions because of his race.
Plaintiff Eric Givens, who is Black and a U.S. Army veteran, filed his lawsuit against Lafourche Parish Government in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana June 25.
According to his filing, Givens has been employed by the Department of Public Works since August 2019.
In his complaint, he claims Lafourche Parish subjected him to write-ups, performance downgrades, intimidation, “unjustified” drug tests, and denied him promotions.
Givens described himself as a “qualified African-American public employee” who was subjected to “disparate” discipline, retaliated against for reporting discrimination, and harassed in a “racially hostile” work environment.
Lafourche Parish is southwest of New Orleans, with a population of more than 97,000, according to a 2020 U.S. Census.
According to his seven-page complaint, Givens began to have issues in January 2022, when he interviewed for an Equipment Operator III, or EO3, position. He was told he was selected.
However, the position ultimately was given to a white employee with “personal ties to leadership.” Givens claims he was later told he was rejected based on his job application.
Soon after, another white employee – also with leadership ties – was hired for the same position in Lockport, La., the filing alleges.
Both white employees were later moved between field offices, while Givens claims his applications for these roles were “dismissed without justification.”
Givens alleges in the fall of 2022, he and other Black employees reported racially discriminatory comments, including a statement that “all the white employees will be EO3 and the Black employees will do manual labor.”
“Despite multiple complaints, no action was taken,” the complaint states.
According to his filing, Givens interviewed again – with a supervisor he had reported. The interview, he claims, was quickly terminated once the supervisor realized Givens applied for an EO3 position. Again, Givens claims, Human Resources took no corrective action.
After various complaints, Givens said he experienced a series of “suspicious” write-ups. Meanwhile, he claims that white employees who engaged in similar or worse conduct – such as refusing work orders or damaging property – were not disciplined.
In his filing, Givens also claims his performance evaluations dropped after making complaints, “despite being recognized by other supervisors as one of the best operators in the department.”
Givens alleges he applied for EO3 positions multiple times between 2022 and 2024, and was repeatedly denied. Instead, he claims white employees with less experience and no certifications were selected.
“In each interview cycle, Plaintiff was either sabotaged by last-minute write-ups or subjected to biased interviewers, often the same supervisors he had reported for racial discrimination,” the complaint states.
In August 2023, Givens also was forced to undergo an unscheduled hair-sample drug test, despite testing negative only days earlier, according to his filing.
“Plaintiff was ambushed with closed-door meetings with multiple supervisors, during which they pressured him to recant his discrimination complaints and suggested he find another job,” the complaint states.
Givens alleges Lafourche Parish violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
He seeks compensatory damages for emotional distress, lost wages, and benefits; reinstatement or front pay for missed promotion opportunities; and attorneys’ fees and costs.
The Law Office of Attorney Natalie Blackman, located in Baton Rouge, is representing Givens.
