ORLANDO – A former boat laminator alleges his Seminole County employer terminated him and denied him workers' compensation because of his race.
Oscar L. Edwards Jr. filed a complaint on July 25 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division against Piranha Boatworks LLC and owner Michael Held alleging discrimination and retaliation.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that in July, he was injured on his first day of working as an employee of the defendant. He claims he asked for the defendant to pay his medical bills through its workers' compensation policy and was denied. The suit also states that the plaintiff confronted Held for using a racial slur and that he was terminated.
The plaintiff holds Piranha Boatworks LLC and Held responsible because the defendants allegedly treated plaintiff less favorably and ultimately terminated his employment because he is an African-American.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks pay, wages, salary, employment benefits and other compensation denied or lost, compensatory damages, punitive damages, interest, front pay or reinstatement, all legal fees and any other relief as the court deems just. He is represented by Daniel A. Perez of Hogan & Hogan PA in Orlando.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division Case number 6:16-cv-01334-CEM-TBS