A former employee has filed a lawsuit against the Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County, alleging unlawful and discriminatory employment practices. On November 6, 2024, Sean Imran filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York against his former former employer, claiming violations of federal and state anti-discrimination laws.
Imran, who is Muslim and Pakistani, accuses his former employer of creating a hostile work environment through pervasive discrimination based on his race, religion, and national origin. The complaint details numerous incidents where Imran was subjected to derogatory comments and unfair treatment by colleagues and supervisors. For instance, he recounts an episode where a senior staff attorney mocked his accent and questioned his origins. Furthermore, Imran alleges that a judge frequently mispronounced his name during court proceedings and made disparaging remarks about Pakistanis and Muslims.
Despite consistently reporting these incidents to various supervisors within the organization, Imran claims that no remedial action was taken. Instead, he asserts that his complaints were often met with laughter or indifference.
"Judges are political hacks," one supervisor allegedly told him when he raised concerns about discriminatory behavior in the courtroom.
The situation escalated when Imran was allegedly retaliated against after formally complaining to Human Resources about the hostile work environment. He states that following his written complaint on July 14, 2023, he faced increased scrutiny from management and was ultimately terminated on November 14, 2023. The stated reason for his termination was alleged violations of the organization's remote work policy—a justification Imran contends is pretextual.
Imran's lawsuit seeks declaratory judgment that the defendant's actions violated federal law under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and New York State Executive Law. He is requesting injunctive relief to prevent further unlawful conduct by the defendant, reinstatement to his former position or equivalent compensation for lost wages and benefits, compensatory damages for emotional distress suffered due to discrimination and retaliation, punitive damages to deter future misconduct by the defendant, coverage of legal fees incurred during this litigation process as well as any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Imran in this case are attorneys Nadia M. Pervez and Aneeba Rehman from Pervez & Rehman P.C., based in Commack, New York. Case I.D. 24-CV-7735.