LAKE CHARLES, La. – A Louisiana woman claims Woodforest National Bank, Walmart’s largest retail banking partner, used her “disabling condition” to demote, transfer, and eventually terminate her employment, in a federal lawsuit filed this month.
Plaintiff Bobbie J. Artis, a Lake Charles resident, filed her lawsuit last month in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Lake Charles Division.
Artis, a Black woman who was 61 at the time of her demotion and transfer in August 2024, alleges Woodforest discriminated against her based on her race, disability, and age; failed to accommodate her disability; and retaliated against her based on her disability.
She claims the retail bank, headquartered in Texas, “engaged in a similar pattern of behavior” with respect to other Black employees in an effort to reduce the number of Black managers.
In her 29-page complaint, she alleges Woodforest violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, or ADEA; the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA; and the Civil Rights Act.
“Upon information and belief, Defendant demoted and transferred Plaintiff and with the hopes that she would resign, given Defendant’s longstanding knowledge of Plaintiff’s medical conditions and resultant limitations, including, but not limited to, her inability to drive herself long distances,” the filing states.
Artis began working for Woodforest as a retail banker at its Lake Charles Walmart branch in September 2008. In December 2009, she was promoted to branch manager.
Eventually, she was diagnosed with anxiety and diabetes. She was prescribed several medications to address the conditions. Their combined effect made it difficult for her to drive. In turn, her husband began taking her to and from work in late 2018 or early 2019.
Fortunately, the Lake Charles branch at which Artis worked was located close to her home, allowing her husband to transport her while maintaining his own work schedule.
However, she was later demoted and transferred to a lower-performing branch nearly an hour away from her home.
“The stated reasons given to Plaintiff for her demotion/transfer are pretextual,” her complaint states. “First, any ‘write-up’ Plaintiff had previously received had, per the express terms of Defendant’s policies, rolled off of Plaintiff’s disciplinary record several months before August 2024.
“Second, Defendant, through conversations with Plaintiff, [retail banker Tonterae ‘Rae’] Owusu, and other branch employees, confirmed that Plaintiff had not denied Owusu a day off. Moreover, Defendant’s policy explicitly states that requests are ‘subject to approval by management.’”
The filing continues, “Furthermore, Defendant did not provide any information regarding any purported ‘coaching’ that Plaintiff performed of an employee in front of a customer. Plaintiff adamantly denies that she coached any employee in front of a customer, and Defendant produced no information regarding the baseless allegation.”
Woodforest later terminated Artis’ employment, on Nov. 26, 2024, accusing her of “job abandonment” for not appearing for work at the Jennings, Louisiana, branch – which, she argued, was located an hour away from her home.
“Plaintiff indicated immediately after being told that she was being transferred to the Jennings, Louisiana branch that she was physically unable to do so because of her disabling conditions and resulting limitations, particularly in relation to her ability to drive, especially long distances,” the complaint states.
“Plaintiff went on medical leave, and repeatedly asked to be permitted to work at a branch closer to her home; however, Defendant refused the request. Defendant forced Plaintiff into a position it knew Plaintiff would not be able to travel to in a calculated effort to prompt Plaintiff’s discharge.”
In her lawsuit, Artis also claims Kayla Hayes, the bank’s regional/division manager, was “taking calculated efforts” to remove all Black branch managers from her market. Hayes is white.
“Aside from Plaintiff, Hayes has effectuated, or has otherwise influenced, the termination of numerous African American Branch Managers since January 2024, and only Caucasian individuals have been hired to replace the same,” the lawsuit states, noting that six new managers have been hired since November 2024 and all have been non-Black.
Artis filed a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Louisiana Commission on Human Rights Feb. 3, 2025.
She seeks back pay, reimbursement for lost position and training, social security and other benefits, front pay, compensatory damages; liquidated damages; punitive damages; attorney’s fees, pre-judgment and post-judgment interest; expert fees; past and future medical care and expenses; past and future mental anguish damages; and injunctive relief.
Sudduth & Associates LLC in Lake Charles is representing Artis in the action.
