Lady Justice
MONROE, La. – A Louisiana woman claims her former employer discriminated against her.
Plaintiff Ameenah Williams filed her lawsuit October 30 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Monroe Division.
Williams alleges defendants Case Farms LLC and Foster Farms LLC, both of Baton Rouge, violated the federal Civil Rights Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, and Americans with Disabilities Act.
The Ruston resident began her employment with Case Farms, formerly known as Foster Farms, in April 2019. Williams claims she was the only Black female employee in her position of Class A Feed Driver.
In July 2025, she allegedly complained about a sex-based hostile work environment and advised her supervisor that a male coworker spit in her face. The male coworker admitted that he spit on her.
Days later, Williams was informed by Human Resources that her employment was being terminated because she allegedly damaged a door.
The defendants later determined that her termination was wrong, and her employment was reinstated on Aug. 7, 2025.
“As part of this reinstatement, Plaintiff was advised that she would be [sic] for all back pay accrued for all the time she had missed due to the wrongful termination,” the lawsuit states.
“Contrary to these promises, Plaintiff only received partial backpay and was not fully compensated for the wages and benefits she lost.”
Then, in December 2025, she allegedly received a written warning for incorrectly placing product and clocking in at the wrong time – 7 p.m. instead of 6:30 p.m.
“Plaintiff requested to speak with her supervisor and a representative of Human Resources regarding these issues as she was never advised to clock in at 6:30 p.m. and she believed she was being treated unfairly and in retaliation for her opposition to sex based hostile environment,” her suit states.
As a result of receiving an unwarranted disciplinary action against her, Williams claims her disability of major depression and anxiety increased.
On Dec. 15, 2025, she allegedly submitted a medical request for leave as an accommodation to her disability. This request was denied, and she was provided with an FMLA form. She, in turn, had her doctor complete the form, and submitted it on that same date.
On Dec. 16, 2025, the defendants’ Human Resource manager advised Williams that her FMLA request was denied and any request for leave as an accommodation for her disability.
“The reason for this denial was that Plaintiff’s employment had been terminated on December 15, 2025, for allegedly accumulating 16 attendance points,” the suit states.
“Plaintiff requested to see the attendance policy, but she was never provided with a copy of the same. Plaintiff stated that she believed that these actions were retaliatory.”
She emailed the defendants concerning her employment status on Jan. 22, 2026. She received no response. A week later, she emailed again. This time, she received a reply that her employment had been terminated Dec. 15, 2025.
“Other than that email, Plaintiff never received any information stating she had been terminated,” she claims in her suit.
Williams timely filed a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Louisiana Commission on Human Rights, and has received her Notice of Right to Sue.
“The actions of Defendants constitute intentional infliction of emotional distress in that said actions were extreme and outrageous, resulting in severe emotional distress or knew that severe emotional distress would be certain or substantially certain to result from its conduct,” the suit states.
Williams seeks an order that the defendants cease discriminatory practices; front pay; back pay, including prejudgment interest; compensatory damages; attorney fees; and punitive or liquidated damages.
Downer Jones Marino & Wilhite in Shreveport, Louisiana, is representing her in the suit.
