A former employee has filed a lawsuit against healthcare management company Atlantic Dialysis Management Services, LLC, Park Slope Dialysis Management LLC, and several individuals, alleging workplace discrimination and harassment.
According to the complaint filed by plaintiff Carlton Palmer, he was subjected to ongoing harassment by a coworker, Jovan Albert Leopold, from 2015 to 2024. The alleged conduct included homophobic slurs and physical intimidation. The lawsuit describes a hostile work environment characterized by discrimination and retaliation.
Palmer states that he repeatedly reported Leopold’s behavior to supervisors and management. Despite these reports, Palmer claims that his concerns were dismissed or disregarded by his superiors and that no remedial action was taken. He was subsequently dismissed from his position following an incident in July 2024 in which Leopold allegedly threatened him with violence.
In one instance, after Palmer reported being threatened by Leopold at a nearby bodega, the clinic administrator, Christopher Collins, reportedly told him the incident was not actionable because it occurred off-site. Palmer also alleges that on July 29, 2024, shortly after his termination, Leopold attempted to strike him with a car outside the workplace.
Palmer claims that the defendants violated multiple civil rights laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as New York State and City Human Rights Laws. He states that he has suffered emotional distress as a result of these events, which have negatively affected his health and well-being. He is seeking compensatory damages for emotional distress and punitive damages, alleging that his employers failed to provide a safe work environment or take appropriate action in response to his complaints.
The plaintiff is represented by attorney John J. Thompson of Thompson & Skrabanek PLLC. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York under No. 1:25-cv-02854.