A former Walmart employee from Long Island, New York, has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that his female supervisor sent him numerous nude photographs and sexually explicit text messages, attempted to assault him in a vehicle, and later orchestrated a campaign of retaliation that resulted in his termination.
The lawsuit, filed on May 6 in Brooklyn federal court, accuses the retail giant of sexual harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination. Shawn White, who worked as a team lead at Walmart locations in Uniondale and Valley Stream, is seeking compensatory damages, lost wages, emotional distress damages, punitive damages, attorney fees, and other relief.
In a statement provided to the New York Post, Walmart said it is reviewing the complaint and will respond appropriately to the court. The company added, “We do not tolerate harassment or retaliation of any kind.”
Allegations of harassment
According to the lawsuit, White began working as a sales associate at Walmart in 2019 and reported to Robin Ford, his supervisor. White claims Ford began sending him nude photos along with sexually charged messages, inviting him to “come over to my house” and “go out to eat.”
The situation escalated in August 2019 when, after a gathering with coworkers, Ford allegedly “jumped on top of” White during a car ride home. White claims Ford attempted to sexually assault him while his brother, who was also in the vehicle, witnessed the incident. White stated in the lawsuit that he physically resisted Ford’s advances.
The lawsuit alleges that Ford later mocked White in a text message to another employee, writing, “Omg why (did White) throw his hands up when I got on top of him omg I can’t lol.”
Ford’s alleged harassment continued for years. White claims she sent him messages saying she had “eyes everywhere watching” and that “when you come back we are having sex.”
Retaliation for rejection
White asserts that he repeatedly rejected Ford’s advances, which allegedly angered her. According to the lawsuit, Ford stated she had never been “turned down by a guy.”
White claims his complaints to management were ignored. After being promoted to team lead and transferred to the Valley Stream Walmart in 2021, Ford later began working there, and the harassment continued. In an email to supervisors, White wrote, “I do not feel comfortable” and expressed concerns about his safety at work.
Instead of receiving help from upper management, White says he received disciplinary write-ups and suspensions. He was fired in 2022 but reinstated a month later after challenging the termination as retaliatory, according to the Post.
The lawsuit alleges that White reported Ford’s conduct through Walmart’s ethics portal and directly to management, but received little or no response. In January 2023, White wrote to Valley Stream store manager Jared Carpenter, stating he did not feel safe working around Ford and feared losing his job. White claims Carpenter told him to continue working or “go home.”
Building a case for termination
White alleges that Ford, in retaliation for his rejection, began filing false complaints about his performance, portraying him as a poor employee and accusing him of incomplete work—despite positive promotions and evaluations.
The lawsuit claims that management worked to build a record to justify White’s termination. During a March 2023 meeting, Walmart market manager Edward Gergorek allegedly told White, “Shawn, you are the problem,” warning him that lawyers were involved and that people “could potentially be losing their jobs” because of his complaints.
On June 9, 2023, White was fired. Management cited falsifying time records and poor job performance as reasons for the termination.
