WINFIELD — A Black man is suing Employbridge Midwest 3 Inc. alleging that he was fired based on his race.
Employbridge is doing business as Resource MFG. Rachel Workman was also named as a defendant in the suit.
Erwin Scott was employed by Employbridge from August 2018 until May 13, 2020, according to a complaint filed in Putnam Circuit Court.
Scott claims he always performed his job duties in a satisfactory manner and shortly after he began his employment with the defendants, he informed them he had diverticulitis that caused him recurring stomach, bowel and intestinal problems and in 2019, he had to undergo surgery for the condition.
The plaintiff occasionally suffered flareups from the medical condition and on May 12, 2020, he worked for approximately one hour before he began to experience pain and discomfort related to his diverticulitis and he went to his supervisor to advise him of the flareup, according to the suit.
Scott claims his supervisor, Jim Kelly, told him to go home if he needed to, however, while speaking to Kelly, he received a call informing him to go to a meeting at the COVID Clinic. Rachel Workman then instructed him to get a COVID test. Another employee of the defendant accused him of coming to work sick and he denied that he was sick and she told him not to return to work.
Scott claims he submitted the COVID test but was then fired for allegedly coming to work sick, despite the negative COVID test.
Scott is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. He is represented by Phillip Estep and Kurt Entsminger of Estep Entsminger Law Group.