A 27-year employee of a school district in Passaic County has filed a lawsuit against his employers, alleging they passed him over for promotions several times over the past decade because he’s not Italian.
Brian Taylor, a custodial and grounds worker, claims in court papers his performance evaluations at the Wayne Township Public School District were always “superior or above average.” Hoping to advance his career, he earned a manager certificate at his own expense from Rutgers University, the suit says.
But when Taylor began applying for supervisory positions in the district 10 years ago, he was consistently rejected, states the lawsui filed Sept. 9 in Superior Court of Passaic County.
Instead of promoting Taylor, his managers gave the higher-paying jobs to men who had Italian last names, the lawsuit claims.
In addition to his lack of Italian heritage, Taylor claims in the suit that upper-level managers “bury their heads back in the sand” when workplace problems are reported.
“This unfortunate reality makes working for the (district) very difficult for a person like Taylor, as he is a man of integrity,” the lawsuit says.
In an email to NJ Advance Media, the board of education’s attorney, John G. Geppert, Jr., denied the district’s hiring managers did anything wrong.
“The Wayne Board of Education vigorously disputes all allegations made by Mr. Taylor and looks forward to presenting the district’s case in court,” Geppert said. “The district’s administrators and the board of education have always acted appropriately and in full compliance with all laws in this matter.”
The lawsuit states Taylor was involuntarily transferred without explanation in September 2019 to a custodian position that did not allow for as much overtime as he’d received when he worked as a groundskeeper.
His groundskeeping job was then given to the Italian-American brother-in-law of a supervisor, who also has an Italian last name, the lawsuit alleges.
The lawsuit also claims the same supervisor “helped various relatives of his minions get jobs with the district, such as wives, children, a brother-in-law and a god son.” The board of education “was either oblivious to this nepotism or simply didn’t care,” the suit states.
Taylor’s union representatives filed a complaint about the transfer with the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission, which ordered the board of education to return Taylor to his groundskeeping job in June 2021.
The complaint states that Taylor then “suffered the intended harsh sting of retaliation and discrimination.” However, he maintained a strong work ethic and his his work performance remains exemplary, the suit states.
The lawsuit alleges the district violated the New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act by retaliating against Taylor when he complained of his alleged discrimination and about other workers using snowplows to clear their own driveways. Taylor also reported workers who he felt were guilty of “theft of time,” the suit says.
Taylor, who earns $57,676 a year, says in the suit that he could have been paid a higher salary if promoted. He’s suing for lost back and future wages, diminished pension payments, and punitive damages.
The lawsuit is also seeking compensation for Taylor’s alleged mental distress and humiliation.
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Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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