In a poignant legal battle, the estate of a deceased employee is taking on a corporation over alleged discriminatory practices. The complaint was filed by Gary W. Durocher, acting as the administrator of Wendy Durocher’s estate, against Southwest Fidelity Corporation in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana on February 19, 2026.
The case revolves around allegations that Southwest Fidelity Corporation violated the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against Wendy Durocher due to her cancer diagnosis. Wendy began working with the company in November 2021 and was diagnosed with bone cancer in October 2022. Despite informing her supervisors about her condition and treatment schedule, she faced what her estate claims were discriminatory actions leading up to her termination in June 2023. According to the complaint, after losing hair due to chemotherapy, Wendy was humiliated by her supervisor’s comments about wearing a wig or scarf. Just days later, she was transferred to another branch under the pretext of being less busy because she was “sick,” adding significantly to her commute time.
Gary W. Durocher argues that these actions amounted to discrimination based on disability and retaliatory behavior for requesting reasonable accommodations for medical treatments. The lawsuit claims that these acts were not only discriminatory but also carried out with malice or reckless indifference towards Wendy’s rights under federal law. The plaintiff seeks various forms of relief from the court including compensatory damages, back pay, front pay, and coverage for lost benefits among others.
Representing Gary W. Durocher are attorneys James E. Sudduth III and Kourtney L. Kech from Sudduth & Associates LLC. The case has been assigned Case ID 6:26-cv-00514 and will be presided over by judges from the Western District of Louisiana.
Source: 6-6cv00514_Gary_Durocher_v_Southwest_Complaint_Western_District_of_Louisiana .pdf
