Christopher Richards has filed a lawsuit against Exxon Mobil, Danny Long, and Aaron Pina in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. The case, identified as 1:24-cv-00045-TSK-MJA, was filed on April 29, 2024. The plaintiff alleges race discrimination under Title VII and 42 U.S.C. 1981, age discrimination under the ADEA, and illegal harassment.
Richards was employed by Exxon Mobil for approximately forty-five years during which he had an impeccable work record. He is also a climate activist who founded a non-profit company focused on climate issues. His views drew criticism from his supervisor, Danny Long, who allegedly verbally harassed and insulted him due to his opinions.
The complaint further states that Long would use racial slurs and engage in violent outbursts towards Richards. Aaron Pina, another supervisor at Exxon Mobil, was reportedly aware of this behavior but chose not to punish Long. As a result of this toxic work environment, Richards developed physical illness and psychological trauma.
Richards is seeking judgment against the defendants for their alleged violations of federal statutes including race discrimination under Title VII and 42 U.S.C. 1981, age discrimination under the ADEA, and illegal harassment. He also invokes the court's pendent jurisdiction for purposes of hearing state law claims.