![Former worker sues pork production company owned by gubernatorial candidate Jim Pillen](https://news.internationalpk.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Former-worker-sues-pork-production-company-owned-by-gubernatorial-candidate.jpg)
Pillen
Lucar, who is from Peru, said that he worked various jobs for the company, and in his position as human resources specialist, he hired workers and dealt with employee-related matters.
He alleged that he repeatedly complained and refused to participate in alleged illegal activities by the company, including hiring workers who lacked authorization to work in the U.S., changing names on government and company documents so workers could avoid paying taxes or child support payments, and misclassifying workers as “independent contractors” to avoid payment of taxes.
Lucar also claimed that company executives failed to address his complaints about discriminatory conduct against some workers because of their immigration status or ethnicity. Later, before he was fired, he alleged he was yelled and cursed at, excluded from meetings and training sessions, and accused of wrongdoing.
Trail, the Pillen campaign spokesman, said that Lucar’s attorney works for a “liberal” law firm led by Vince Powers, a former state Democratic Party chairman, and that the lawsuit by Lucar was a “clear effort by Democrats” to smear Pillen.
Neary rejected that, pointing out that Lucar had filed a complaint about his treatment with the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission in April 2020, long before Pillen became a candidate for governor.
Pillen has made immigration an issue in his campaign. His website states that the failure to address immigration reform and enforce immigration laws has created a “national security threat” and “exploits the vulnerable.”