Steve Awad, an engineer for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, claims that based on discriminatory statements and actions by employees of the said City of New York, his human rights have been adversely affected, that he has been subjected to a hostile environment and that he has been retaliated against.
Mr. Awad is African American of Egyptian national origin and is an American citizen, as well. He has worked for the City since 1988. Evaluations regarding his work performance were rated each year from good to outstanding.
In 2009, Defendants began certain restructuring of the agency and it was at that time that acts of discriminatory conduct accelerated in full force, from remarks that were made regarding middle eastern terrorists and referencing Mr. Awad's middle eastern origin or warning Mr. Awad not to get too close to the dogs in the unit because they would respond if someone yelled terrorist and might attack him. The offensive words, deeds and acts were constant and never ending.
Further discriminatory acts against Mr. Awad were evidently in retaliation for his complaining to management regarding the abusive conduct by the defendants. He was demoted from deputy director of Hazmat to mechanical engineer, resulting in a considerable loss in salary. Moreover, he was stripped of all security clearances and banished to an office in Valhalla, 70 miles from New York.
The attorney for Mr. Awad sets forth a continuous flow of vicious and vile statements that run for page after page in the Complaint. There is also little doubt that the possibility of a substantial award of punitive damages may potentially be the final straw to teach these individuals the ugliness of their discriminatory conduct.