Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, LITIGATION NEWS, TRENDS—Toyota engineering manager, fired after employee complaints, alleges it was based on his race, sexuality, and religion, (Jul 21, 2026)

By Brandi O. Brown, J.D.

He alleges that a couple of coworkers worked together to get him fired and that the employer treated him differently during the investigation process.

A Black, heterosexual, Christian engineering manager at Toyota’s Liberty, North Carolina facility, recently filed suit against his former employer alleging he was subjected to discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination. Specifically, he points to a white female subordinate and another coworker, who is LGBTQ+, both of whom he alleges sought to have him fired.

Nine years, then effort to get him fired. In his lawsuit, he alleges that for nine years, he had a successful career at Toyota and that he was being prepared for promotion when coworkers allegedly fabricated complaints about him, including accusing him of anti-LGBTQ+ bias.

One of the complainants was a subordinate who resigned in May 2024 but was rehired a month later, who allegedly told another safety engineer that she was going to get the manager fired by making up false allegations against him.

The other complainant was the person who was given the promotion that he alleges had been promised to him around that same time and that he had been training for. He alleged that the promoted employee coordinated with the other complainant to try to fire him because of his race, religion, and sexual orientation.

Hotline complaint. A hotline complaint was made in September 2024, alleging that he had used insensitive language regarding the LGBTQ+ community. He was also told that in 2022 he had “turned his back” on a lesbian couple seated at his table at a company dinner. Several other accusations were made, such as that he had used the term “partner” in describing the relationship of the employee who was given his promotion and that he had given more time to race-related support events than to LGBTQ+ support events in which he had been involved.

He claims Toyota conducted an unfair investigation, suspended him, ignored his complaints of race, religion, and sex discrimination, and ultimately terminated him in November for allegedly violating a confidentiality policy (based on two employees reaching out to him during the investigation, although he contends, he did not provide them with information).

The engineering manager asserts that similarly situated employees outside his protected groups were treated more favorably, including his two accusers whom he alleged had engaged in conversations regarding the investigation but were not disciplined. The lawsuit alleges race, sex, and religious discrimination, retaliation, Section 1981 violations, and wrongful discharge under North Carolina law.

The lawsuit was filed in the Middle District of North Carolina; the case is No. 1:26-cv-706.

News: LitigationNewsTrends SexDiscrimination Discrimination ReligiousDiscrimination Discharge