A former employee has filed a lawsuit against her previous employer, alleging racial discrimination and retaliation. Tracy Roye initiated the complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia on January 22, 2026, targeting Utica Mutual Insurance Company. The case raises significant concerns about workplace equality and fairness.
The plaintiff, Tracy Roye, an African American woman, accuses Utica Mutual Insurance Company of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 42 U.S.C. §1981 by engaging in discriminatory practices based on race. Roye claims that she was subjected to different treatment compared to her white colleagues after being hired as a Senior Claims Specialist in July 2022. Despite her extensive experience, she alleges that she received no proper training on company procedures and was advised to rely on her prior experience. Her initial supervisor provided positive feedback and evaluations until a change in management occurred in August 2023 when Randall Gottschalk took over as her supervisor.
Roye contends that Gottschalk treated her differently from her white counterparts by micromanaging her work and placing undue scrutiny on her performance. She describes instances where Gottschalk implemented new procedures without adequate clarification and responded rudely when she sought clarity. Despite receiving positive evaluations and a pay raise under Gottschalk’s supervision, Roye was placed on a “training program” that she believes was racially motivated since none of her white colleagues were subjected to similar requirements.
The situation escalated when Roye reported these issues to Human Resources but saw no resolution. Instead, she found herself under increased pressure with additional tasks during vacations and ultimately placed on a performance improvement plan (PIP) by Gottschalk before his departure from the department. This PIP led to further stress as Roye felt it was designed to ensure failure rather than improvement.
In December 2024, after completing the PIP successfully under another supervisor’s guidance, Roye faced termination following an alleged error costing the company $29,000—a claim she disputes as pretextual for racial discrimination and retaliation for previous complaints about unfair treatment.
Roye seeks relief from the court including back pay with interest; front pay; compensatory damages for emotional distress; injunctive relief; prejudgment interest; costs associated with legal proceedings; attorney fees; punitive damages due to willful misconduct by Utica Mutual Insurance Company employees acting within their employment scope.
Representing Tracy Roye is attorney Anthony J. Hall from The Leach Firm P.A., while Judge WMR-RDC presides over this case identified as Case No.: 1:26-cv-00443-WMR-RDC.
Source: 126cv00443_Tracy_Roye_v_Utica_Mutual_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Georgia..pdf
