May 28—A Black-Hispanic man has filed a civil rights complaint in federal court against Puritan Medical Products, alleging managers and coworkers at the swab maker’s Pittsfield facility racially harassed him.

Dupreme Ammonds, a Hartland resident, worked for 14 months at Puritan Medical Products, which produces medical swabs used in COVID-19 test kits.

Ammonds alleges that several workers there used racist slurs against him, targeted him with stereotype-based “jokes” and intimidated him with threatening comments.

“This campaign of discrimination and harassment was constant and ongoing. Coworkers and supervisor alike participated in the hostility,” the lawsuit states. “The harassment included multiple instances of white coworkers calling Mr. Ammonds the full ‘N-word’ or purposefully using it in front of him.”

He also claims that after repeatedly complaining to managers and human resources officials, he was told not to file more complaints.

“Human resources reprimanded Mr. Ammonds and told him to be mindful of how his words could hurt others. This alone was more discipline than other employees faced for the heinous racism they directed at Mr. Ammonds on a near daily basis,” the suit states.

In a brief written statement, Puritan denied the allegations.

“While Puritan does not comment on pending cases, we deny violating the law and we look forward to defending ourselves before the court,” Marketing Director Virginia Templet said in an email on Tuesday. “Puritan does not tolerate inappropriate conduct in the workplace, and we remain fully committed to providing an appropriate workplace for all.”

White coworkers stood up for Ammonds, the lawsuit states. In one instance, four employees went to the human resources department with complaints about a specific white worker who was allegedly harassing Ammonds. But the lawsuit states that Tracy Brawn, in the human resources department, told the group that their complaints were considered harassment and they would be terminated for any future complaints.

This behavior came at a cost to Ammonds, according to the lawsuit. His mental health “deteriorated” amid the “constant racial harassment” and “extreme indifference of — if not encouragement by — upper management and human resources.”

Ammonds ultimately left the company in April 2022, which was recommended by his medical providers, to address “severe anxiety and mental health issues that arose from the horrific treatment at Puritan.”

One coworker who regularly harassed Ammonds was ultimately fired after he physically assaulted Ammonds in front of supervisors, the lawsuit states.

But according to the lawsuit, no other employees who allegedly harassed Ammonds faced repercussions.

“With the exception of Willie Ashe — who had also physically assaulted Mr. Ammonds — Puritan did not discipline the employees who had harrassed and discriminated against Mr. Ammonds,” the lawsuit states. “None of them were reassigned — only Mr. Ammonds was.”

Ammonds is asking the court to to declare that Puritan violated the Civil Rights Act and command the company to stop engaging in the behavior Ammonds allegedly faced. He is also asking the court for monetary damages to compensate for economic losses and “emotional distress, mental anguish, humiliation and embarrassment.”

This story will be updated.

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