Employee Files Lawsuit Against Department of Transportation

An Orange County man is suing his employer, the Department of Transportation, alleging that his co-workers in Katonah subjected him to racial discrimination in the form of racial slurs and threats.

Michael Moshier, who has been working at the New York State Department of Transportation since 2009, claims his employer was aware of the harassment, but did not do anything about it, according to the lawsuit (attached to this article). 

According to court documents, on July 31, 2011, shortly before the end of his shift Moshier, who is described as an African-American, found a handwritten note in his mailbox. The note contained racial slurs and told him to "go back to Africa" and that he shouldn't have "started this investigation."

Moshier's managers had told him they could transfer him to another Westchester County facility that was significantly further from his home, while denying his request to transfer him to another Westchester County facility that was closer to his home, the lawsuit said. 

The man filed a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in September 2011. The harassment escalated again in September 2012 when Moshier found another note, the lawsuit says.

According to the lawsuit, Moshier was told by his management at the DOT that he should develop a "thicker skin" and "ignore" those who harassed him.

The lawsuit was filed Jan. 31 with United States District Court Southern District of New York.