Arno Patrick Kuigoua, represented by The Guha Law Firm and Ranojoy Guha, has appealed a judgment from the Superior Court of Los Angeles County (case number 20STCV09073) against the Department of Veteran Affairs. The case, filed on April 17, 2024, pertains to allegations of employment oppression that Kuigoua claimed to have experienced during his tenure at the Department.
Kuigoua's complaint stems from two different narratives he presented - one to an anti-discrimination agency and another in court. He alleges that he was unjustly terminated from his position as a registered nurse at the Knight Veterans Home in Lancaster, California in October 2018 after accusations of sexual harassment and substandard patient care. However, these claims were dismissed by the State Personnel Board following a six-day hearing and subsequent appeals extending from 2018 to 2022.
In April 2019, prior to his State Personnel Board hearing, Kuigoua filed an administrative charge of employment discrimination with both the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He alleged that he faced disparate treatment compared to other employees not belonging to his protected class and was denied opportunities for overtime work. His dismissal occurred on October 1, 2018.