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A married gay couple is suing in Maine after alleging that coworkers sexually harassed them and threw food at them and that their employer responded to their complaints by retaliating against them and firing them.
In a federal lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine in Bangor and reported by the Bangor Daily News, Jose Cordero, 30, and Wilmer Muchacho, 46, of New York City, allege that Centre Electric, a Minnesota solar company, discriminated against them while they worked as solar panel installers. They began working for the company in May 2023 and say they were fired without warning in February 2024.
The lawsuit alleges that Centre Electric violated the Maine Human Rights Act, the federal Civil Rights Act, and the Maine Whistleblowers’ Protection Act. The couple also filed complaints with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which issued them right-to-sue letters after finding reasonable cause to believe there was retaliation on the basis of sex, according to the lawsuit.
According to the Bangor Daily News, the company did not respond to a request for comment.
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In the lawsuit, the men say their coworkers harassed them for being married, called them slurs, and referred to them as sexually transmitted diseases.
The couple was transferred to another work site after reporting the harassment to their supervisor, but it continued, according to the lawsuit. They allege that the abuse escalated, with some coworkers throwing food at them.
The lawsuit also alleges that the company retaliated against the couple for reporting the conduct by denying them meal and bathroom breaks, permission to warm up in their car, and opportunities for extra weekend work that other employees received.
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When the company fired Cordero and Muchacho in February 2024, it cited tardiness and disrespectful behavior, according to the lawsuit. The men dispute those reasons and say they had received no warnings.
The couple is seeking a jury trial, back pay, unspecified compensatory damages, and a court order requiring Centre Electric to provide civil rights training to its employees.
“In the United States, everyone deserves to be treated with dignity at work, no matter who we love,” Muchacho told the Bangor Daily News. “We are putting our trust in a jury of Maine people to hear our story and to help us find justice.”
