LOS ANGELES (CN) – An older African-American Kaiser worker is being relentlessly harassed and discriminated against, and when he complained, Kaiser did nothing to stop the escalation of the hostile work environment, according to his suit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Kyle Campbell sued Kaiser Permanente International, Kaiser Permanente Insurance Company, Lorraine Haines, Russell Breeding and Frank Farago for violations of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), including employment harassment based on race and age, hostile work environment, disparate treatment, retaliation and violation of California’s Labor Code whistleblower provisions.  

According to his action, Campbell, a black man over the age of 40, is currently employed by Kaiser. 

Throughout his employment, Campbell says he has been subjected to “rude, cruel, untrue, harsh, discriminatory, stereotypical, negative and derogatory comments being made by non-protected employees in the workplace which severely disrupted the workplace and severely interfered with the ability of plaintiff and other protected employees to perform their job duties,” the suit states.

In addition, Campbell has been denied access to meetings, information and other assistance that is available to younger employees who are not African American, had his job function changed “to make same appear less important, lower-profile and more menial,” and been denied bonuses, promotions and key assignments, the complaint states. 

Campbell’s action alleges that due to the “discriminatory, harassing and retaliatory culture of the defendants,” defendant supervisors “aided and abetted” the illegal actions in the workplace, and “created, maintained, condoned and knowingly permitted retaliation to occur against employees who are African-American and older (over age 40)(including plaintiff) who make formal and/or informal complaints about the unlawful and discriminatory treatment.” 

The retaliation has reportedly taken the form of increased severity, frequency and “notorious nature of such hostile conduct,” including attempts to make Campbell quit, instructing other employees to further mistreat and intimidate him, sabotaging his work, making false and defamatory allegations of misconduct against him, and instituting baseless disciplinary action, to “intentionally make the working environment and working conditions of those who complained (including plaintiff) and their protected counterparts so much more harsh, discriminatory, unbearable and unreasonable that no reasonable person could be expected to continue their employ under such conditions,” the suit states.

Campbell seeks general and special damages, punitive damages, interest, and legal costs and fees. He is represented by Michael S. Traylor of the Traylor Law Office, PC, in Los Angeles, California.