In the United States District Court, Middle District of Louisiana, Kristen Durham has filed a lawsuit against The Francis Southern Table & Bar, LLC. The case, identified as 3:24-cv-00319-JWD-SDJ, was lodged on April 22, 2024. The suit alleges disability discrimination and retaliation under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Louisiana State Constitution.
The plaintiff, represented by JP Gorham, is a resident of Hattiesburg, Mississippi and was residing in the County of Forrest, Louisiana at the time of the alleged incidents. The defendant is a Louisiana Limited Liability Company based in Saint Francisville. The lawsuit asserts that the plaintiff faced numerous instances of harassment and discrimination based on her disability during her tenure as an Executive Chef at the restaurant from July 2022.
The allegations include verbal and physical abuse leading to significant mental, emotional, and physical distress for Ms. Durham. Specific incidents have been documented on dates including October 18, December 9 and 20, December 26 of 2022; January 12,14 and15 of 2023. These were reported to management figures such as Mr. Buff and Mr. Jackson but no appropriate action was taken.
Ms. Durham seeks judgment for disability discrimination in violation of federal laws and state law causes of action under Louisiana's Employment Discrimination Law and general tort principles set forth in the Louisiana Civil Code.