GREENSBURG – A former employee of Honda’s Greensburg plant has filed a lawsuit against the company in federal court alleging the company engaged in and tolerated racial discrimination.

A Honda spokeswoman said the company disagrees with the allegations and is committed to a diverse work environment.

In the lawsuit, filed Jan. 30 in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis, Clifford W. Holder, who is African American, alleges repeated incidents of discrimination against African Americans, including that the company:

• Passed over African Americans for promotion to the benefit of white employees with inferior qualifications.

• Fired an African American employee for hitting a white employee with a towel, but did not fire a white employee for inappropriately touching African American employees.

• Gave white employees “a slap on the wrist” for making racially offensive comments to African American employees despite a no tolerance policy.

Holder’s lawsuit also alleges that “racially offensive graffiti directed at African Americans routinely appeared in the men’s restrooms” and that Honda removed the graffiti but took no actions to prevent a reoccurrence. Examples of the graffiti listed in the lawsuit include highly charged language, limericks and threats to kill, shoot and hang.

According to the lawsuit, Holder, who joined Honda in 2008 and worked as an associate relations administrator, suffered damages because he “was subjected to a hostile work environment based upon race (and that) the workplace conditions were severe and pervasive enough to alter the terms and conditions of employment.”

Holder said in the lawsuit that the hostile work environment forced him to go on medical leave.

Holder’s attorney, Adam Lenkowsky, with Indianapolis-based Roberts & Bishop, told The Daily News that Honda fired Holder after he returned from medical leave.

Honda Manufacturing of Indiana makes the Civic sedan, Civic Natural Gas and Acura ILX at its Greensburg Plant, 2755 N. Michigan Ave. The company has invested about $800 million in the local 1,600-acre site and employs about 2,000.

Honda said in a statement that the company does not comment “on personnel issues involving current or past associates."

“However, we disagree with the allegations contained in the lawsuit. Honda Manufacturing of Indiana is committed to diversity in every aspect of our business and has worked to maintain a diverse team of associates. Our operations have demonstrated an outstanding track record of success based on fundamental principles of teamwork and mutual respect. In this spirit, every Honda associate is expected to embrace and actively support diversity and the cultural richness and advantages that it provides.”

Honda also has taken steps to educate community members about diversity. Last month, for example, Honda employees spent part of Martin Luther King Jr. Day with first- and fifth-graders at Greensburg Elementary School to talk about equality, bullying and Civil Rights.

Holder has requested a jury trial and is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. Lenkowsky declined to provide details about how much Holder is seeking.

As of Monday afternoon, the company had not filed an official response with the court.

Contact: Boris Ladwig 812-663-3111 x7401; boris.ladwig@greensburgdailynews.com