Law firm Wigdor LLP has brought another class-action lawsuit against New Jersey-based solar installer Momentum Solar. A former employee in the company’s call center, who is black, has alleged that management frequently referred to him by racial slurs, and was shortly terminated after filing a complaint.
“As alleged in the complaint, this second race discrimination class action lawsuit highlights Momentum Solar’s severe company-wide problem with how it mistreats and discriminates against its black employees. Indeed, as alleged in the complaint, Momentum does not merely have a ‘few bad apples’ within its ranks, but has cultivated a repugnant, racist culture that treats black employees as second class citizens.”
The class action complaint was filed in United States District Court of New Jersey.
In May 2019, a group of former employees filed a class-action lawsuit against Momentum Solar in New York courts, claiming they experienced wage disparity, were given “the least desirable jobs,” were given no opportunities for advancement and coworkers and foremen at the company’s warehouse frequently used racist remarks.
A third lawsuit was filed against the company by a former employee in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York by Crumiller P.C. The complaint alleges that direct supervisors fired a female employee — the first to be an installations manager at Momentum Solar — shortly after disclosing that she was pregnant.
According to the complaint, the Momentum Solar did not include maternal or paternal leave in its employee handbook. Due to the former employee’s mounting health concerns related to the pregnancy, she requested to be able to work from home, announcing to her supervisors that she was pregnant, and her job was subsequently terminated. The former employee is seeking reparations based on civil laws requiring private companies to grant their employees medical leave.
Momentum Solar is a rooftop solar contractor that employs about 1,500 people nationwide.
Updated Jan. 10, 2020
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