Former worker files federal suit against Wrightsville Beach

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — A former Wrightsville Beach employee has filed a federal lawsuit against the town claiming racial harassment.

According to the suit, which was filed earlier this month, Francois Baldwin worked as a utility maintenance mechanic for the town from May 2011 through December 2012. Baldwin, who is black, claims supervisors and co-workers subjected him repeatedly to racial slurs, including a co-worker repeating the N word around him and a supervisor allegedly calling Baldwin “our token.”

Among his claims, Baldwin says he complained about the harassment to supervisors, who suggested he was overreacting and should simply ignore it. He claims that in December 2012, after complaining again, he was fired for “poor job performance.” Baldwin, who now lives in Wake County, claims the town created a hostile work environment and discriminated and retaliated against him because of his race and a disability. The suit claims he was diagnosed with severe anxiety as a result of the harassment, which caused him to miss or be late to work.

The suit says that the month before his firing, his supervisor held a meeting with the Water and Sewer Department staff and ordered them to stop making racial comments and jokes, but they continued.

Wrightsville Beach Town Manager Tim Owens said he could not comment on the pending litigation.