NEW ORLEANS – A former Coca-Cola employee claims he was discriminated against, and later terminated, after disclosing his ADHD diagnosis and related limitations to supervisors.
Plaintiff Brian Kennedy filed his lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
In his 31-page complaint, Kennedy alleges defendant Coca-Cola Bottling Company United Inc. violated the federal Civil Rights Act.
Kennedy, who is Black, contends his race also played a part in his discrimination and eventual termination, as did his repeated requests for accommodations and complaints about the company’s refusal to accommodate his disability.
“Throughout Plaintiff’s employment, supervisory personnel subjected Plaintiff to mocking comments, ridicule, excessive scrutiny, intimidation, and ongoing harassment after learning of Plaintiff’s disability and protected complaints,” the lawsuit states.
“Plaintiff’s supervisors mocked symptoms associated with Plaintiff’s ADHD, including comments regarding Plaintiff’s prescribed medication and concentration difficulties, and repeatedly belittled Plaintiff regarding his work performance despite Plaintiff consistently receiving positive evaluations and recognition for his work.”
Kennedy, a resident of Harahan, Louisiana, began working for Coca-Cola in April 2019 as a sanitation worker. It wasn’t until late 2021 that he was diagnosed with ADHD and began treatment through a psychiatrist and medication.
He claims his ADHD “substantially limits” one or more major life activities, including concentrating, focusing, organizing tasks, and maintaining attention over extended periods.
In early 2022, Kennedy disclosed his ADHD and related limitations to supervisory personnel.
After, he claims he began experiencing ridicule, criticism, and derogatory comments concerning his disability, symptoms, and prescribed medication.
“Plaintiff was frequently treated as though he was intellectually inferior and incapable because of his disability,” the filing states. “Plaintiff was repeatedly called lazy and was criticized in a manner that Plaintiff did not observe being directed toward similarly situated employees.
“Plaintiff further alleges that management and supervisory personnel scrutinized his work more closely than similarly situated non-Black employees and employees without disabilities.”
He informed his supervisors that some tasks made it difficult for him to maintain concentration and requested reasonable accommodations – such as relief from a floor-scrubbing assignment and having assistance with certain cleaning duties.
However, he was denied accommodation requests, he contends.
“Despite Defendant’s knowledge of Plaintiff’s disability and repeated accommodation requests, Defendant continued assigning Plaintiff burdensome cleaning responsibilities while simultaneously criticizing his performance,” the filing states.
In October 2024, Kennedy complained regarding his treatment and requested assistance. He claims management assured him there would be no retaliation.
However, soon after, he contends his supervisors began subjecting him to “increased scrutiny and micromanagement.”
It was then he was accused of “stealing time,” i.e spending hours socializing, watching television, or remaining away from his assigned work area, and eventually was issued a final written warning.
“Plaintiff believed the discipline was retaliatory and directly related to his prior accommodation requests and complaints of discrimination and harassment,” the lawsuit states.
On Feb. 5, 2026, Coca-Cola terminated Kennedy’s employment.
He seeks damages for lost past and future wages, back pay and front pay, compensatory damages, punitive damages, liquidated damages, pre- and post-judgment interest and attorney fees.
The Minias Law Firm in New Orleans is representing Kennedy in the action.
