A former employee has filed a lawsuit against NYC School Support Services Inc., the New York City Department of Education, Greg Dioro, and William Wilson, alleging racial discrimination and wrongful termination.
The lawsuit filed by plaintiff Cedric Holmes accuses his former employers of violating multiple laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and several New York State and City laws. Holmes alleges that after over ten years of service as a Cleaner turned Fireman at NYC School Support Services Inc., he faced discrimination primarily from his supervisors Greg Dioro and William Wilson. According to Holmes, after returning from medical leave in October 2023, he was unjustly stripped of overtime opportunities while similar privileges were extended to less senior white colleagues like Antonio Mancuso and Shane. "The rule was that overtime goes to the fireman first," Holmes stated in his complaint. Yet this rule was allegedly ignored by Dioro and Wilson.
Holmes further contends that despite reporting these discriminatory practices to higher authorities, such as Principal Keisha Jackson and Carmine Franchese, no corrective actions were taken. Instead, he claims that his complaints led to increased hostility at work, including unwarranted disciplinary actions like suspensions based on fabricated infractions. A notable incident occurred on December 27, 2023, when Holmes was written up for allegedly bypassing the chain of command—an accusation he denies since school was not in session that day.
Holmes is pursuing compensation for lost wages, estimated at $100,000 annually, along with damages for emotional distress caused by these alleged discriminatory acts. The complaint outlines multiple causes of action, including retaliation under Title VII and section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act, among others.
The plaintiff is represented by attorney Anthony C. Ofodile of the Law Offices of Anthony Ofodile. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York under Case ID: 1:25-cv-01630, with Judge Rayford O. Irvin overseeing proceedings.