PHILADELPHIA — A worker at an Adamstown factory alleges he faced racial slurs and other harassment.
Gregory Nelson filed a complaint Jan. 18 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against Bollman Hat Factory alleging discrimination.
According to his complaint, Nelson began working for Bollman as a machine operator on Jan. 3, 2003. He alleges that in 2010, he began to face racial discrimination including being called "Dark Vader," and having co-workers use the N-word and other racial slurs around him.
He further alleges that a photo of himself was posted with a written caption that read "$.50 reward for anyone who catches this person." Nelson claims that in August of 2020, he took video of co-workers who were taking copper and other scrap materials out of dumpsters against company policy. Nelson claims his report of the co-workers was not kept confidential and that he faced harassment and other intimidation until his termination on Feb. 9, 2021.
Nelson seeks monetary relief of more than $300,000, trial by jury and all other just relief. He is represented by Larry Miller, Jr., of The Miller Law Group PLLC in West Lawn.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania case number 5:22-CV-00228