Lawsuit alleges racial harassment at a Maine company that makes COVID

BANGOR, Maine (AP) — A Maine-based company that makes COVID-19 test swabs is being sued for allegedly condoning or refusing to stop racial harassment against a Black former employee at a plant that opened during a pandemic production surge.

While working at a Puritan Medical Products facility in Pittsfield, Dupreme Ammonds contends he was subjected to racial insults and references to so-called “ sundown towns ” where Black people had to be gone by nightfall or risk arrest, a beating or worse.

Ammonds, who is Black and Hispanic, was singled out by one particular worker who physically assaulted him and who was eventually fired, according to the federal lawsuit filed last week. Ammonds’ manager retaliated against him over the firing and the harassment kept happening, the lawsuit said. Co-workers who stood up for Ammonds were threatened with firing by another company official, the suit alleges.