Trucker Says Boss Sexually Harrassed Him

(CN) - An Alabama truck driver claims in a federal lawsuit that he was sexually harassed by his male supervisor, then threatened at gunpoint when he sought to report the behavior.

In a complaint filed in the federal court in Birmingham, Ala., driver Richard Holley says he was hired by GIBCO Construction in March 2012, and that beginning the following October, he began to receive unwanted sexual attention from Michael Hunt, his supervisor.

Holley claims Hunt, who is a white male, made a number of inappropriate comments to him, including a variety of subtle and not-so-subtle sexual requests.

Holly alleges Hunt asked if he could give him oral sex, and also made requests for anal intercourse. Hunt also went so far as to suggest that if they "were in jail together Hunt would let Holley 'fuck him,'" the complaint says.

The comments and requests were allegedly made "on an almost daily basis," despite Holley's telling him that the behavior was unwelcome.

When Holley inquired of another supervisor about filing a sexual harassment complaint in February 2013, he was directed to the HR department. The next day, Hunt allegedly showed up at Holley's house with a pistol "prominently displayed in his waistband."

During the confrontation, Hunt allegedly told Holley he'd "better not file that complaint." He also allegedly threatened Holley, saying, "If you do, you know what is going to happen."

Holley went ahead and filed the sexual harassment complaint, and the next month, he says, he was written up for "exiting a truck without a hard hat."

Holley, who is black, says in his complaint that the safety violation has also been committed by other, white employees, and that they have not been written up or otherwise disciplined for their lapses.

Holley says a short time later, a GIBCO's human resources manager told him his sexual harassment complaint "could not be confirmed," and the matter was being dropped.

Believing his supervisor's harassment created "a sexually hostile work environment," and that the company "did not take prompt, effective remedial action," Holley says he next reached out to the Birmingham Police Department to report the confrontation with Hunt.

The next day, Holley says, he was fired "without warning and without cause."

He is seeking compensatory and punitive damages on claims his rights were violated under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent supervision.

Holley is represented by Lee Winston, Roderick Cooks, Charity Gilchrist Davis and Sherice Carter, of Winston Cooks LLC in Birmingham.

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