Bus driver claims religious prejudice

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BY ADAM LINHARDT Citizen Staff
alinhardt@keysnews.com

A former City of Key West Department of Transportation bus driver has filed a federal lawsuit against the city claiming his civil rights were violated due to his race and as a practicing Jehovah’s Witness. 

Bobby Walker Jr. claims that he requested, via a letter dated Oct. 23, 2014 to the city manager’s office, that he not participate in the annual Fantasy Fest parade and that his “participation in the Fantasy Fest parade was contrary to his beliefs as a Jehovah’s Witness,” the lawsuit states.  

He further claims that the next day, during a meeting with superiors, that city management officials “openly mocked (Walker’s) religious beliefs and threatened to write up Walker for purportedly not giving enough time to change the schedule,” the lawsuit states.  

According to the employee handbook, drivers are required to give at least two hours notice of any schedule change request. Walker claims that his two-day notice was more than ample.  

“A manager treated Mr. Walker differently than persons who were not of Jehovah’s Witness faith by threatening to write Mr. Walker up for not giving him a 48-hour notice of his request for time off, although persons of other religions are only held to a two-hour minimum notice,” Walker’s attorney, Jay Paul Lechner of St. Petersburg, wrote to The Citizen seeking comment. “The same manager made comments to the effect ‘I’ve had enough of this religion stuff,’ and ‘You’re the only one’ causing problems due to religion. Managers also spread rumors to other employees about Mr. Walker, such as that Jehovah’s Witnesses ‘think they are better than others.’” 

With respect to Walker’s race — he is black — Lechner wrote: “A mechanic manager angrily called Mr. Walker a ‘damn boy’ and purposely locked him out of the break room used by white employees. A manager made a comment to another manager to the effect of ‘get rid of that black son-of-a-(deleted),’ referring to Mr. Walker.”  

Immediately after Walker’s meeting with superiors, his “hours were decreased and he was subjected to threats of losing his job, vindictive acts and derogatory comments about his race from other members of the management team,” according to the lawsuit.  

Walker claims he complained to higher-ups, but no action was taken, according to the lawsuit.  

On or about Dec. 31, 2014, Walker again requested a shift change so that he would not have to work the late shift on New Year’s Eve, based on his religious beliefs, the lawsuit states.  

He was fired shortly thereafter, according to the lawsuit.  

Walker is accusing the city of violating his civil rights under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as under the Florida Civil Rights Act.  

Michael Burke, the attorney who regularly represents the City of Key West in such cases, did not return a message seeking comment on Friday.  

Walker filed the lawsuit earlier this month before U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez seeking back pay and benefits as well as his attorney’s fees and punitive damages.  

No tentative trial date has been set.

http://keysnews.com/node/73622