McCullers v. Koch Foods

On February 27, 2025, Angela McCullers, an African American former employee at an Alabama poultry processing plant, sued Koch Foods of Alabama LLC and its parent entities. The complaint alleges that McCullers endured persistent racial slurs, demeaning comments, and unequal enforcement of work rules compared to white colleagues. After repeatedly reporting the harassment to supervisors without corrective action, McCullers was terminated in alleged retaliation for her complaints. The lawsuit asserts violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 42 U.S.C. § 1981, seeking compensatory and punitive damages for lost wages, emotional distress, and harm to her career. The case underscores systemic workplace inequality in the meatpacking industry.

As of June 2026, the case is in the discovery phase with no trial date set; summary judgment motions have not yet been filed.

Whether Koch Foods maintained a racially hostile work environment and unlawfully retaliated against McCullers for reporting discrimination, and whether the company's conduct violated federal anti-discrimination statutes.

The lawsuit amplified scrutiny of labor practices in poultry plants, prompting advocacy groups to call for stronger federal oversight and corporate anti-discrimination training, and adding to a broader national dialogue on racial equity in industrial workplaces.