A former Kohler Co. employee has filed a lawsuit against the company after allegedly experiencing discrimination by his supervisors because of his race, according to BizTimes Milwaukee.
The case was filed on behalf of James Yang on Feb. 23 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Yang has also filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The complaint alleges Yang, an Asian man, was subjected to “repeated race-based harassment by two supervisors, among others, while working for defendant Kohler Company. Due to the severity and pervasiveness of the harassment, Yang was forced to leave his job.”
In January 2022, Yang was hired by Kohler Co. as a material handler. While working for the company, Yang was allegedly “subjected to severe and pervasive slurs by others, including two supervisors, because he is Asian.”
In August 2024, Yang filed a complaint with the company’s human resources department, which determined he had been subjected to racial slurs.
While Kohler did fire some employees following the human resources investigation, Yang argues the company “failed to take necessary steps to redress the racial harassment.”
This eventually caused Yang to leave the company, according to the complaint.
Yang seeks an order awarding lost wages and benefits, along with damages for “emotional pain, suffering, inconvenience, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life.” A trial by jury has been requested for the case.
