PHILADELPHIA — A former security officer is suing C&D Enterprises for allegations of racial discrimination and wrongful termination.
Joseph Kennedy filed a lawsuit on March 30 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against C&D Enterprises Inc., C&D Security, C&D Security Inc., and C&D Security Management Inc., citing discrimination and violations of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1991 and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.
According to the complaint, Kennedy was employed by the defendants from April 2006 until April 21, 2014, working as a protective security officer. On March 17, 2014, the plaintiff claims his firearm accidentally discharged in the defendant’s locker room, which he avers was caused by a low-quality and/or faulty firearm holster.
On April 21, 2014, the plaintiff was reportedly terminated as a result of the incident. Kennedy claims that he was fired because he was a minority Caucasian employee. The suit states that several non-white officers committed the same accidental offense without being terminated.
Kennedy seeks compensation for the wages, benefits, and emoluments of employment lost, front pay, punitive damages, damages for future loss, pre and post-judgement, attorney and expert witness fees, and a trial by jury. He is represented by Sidney L. Gold of Sidney L. Gold & Associates PC, in Philadelphia.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Case number 2:16-cv-01436-CDJ