Durr v. Piggly Wiggly Alabama Distributing Company, Inc.

Ajin Jarbar Durr, a Black man, worked as an order selector at a Piggly Wiggly distribution facility in Bessemer, Alabama, from January 2015 until his termination on July 15, 2021. He was fired for failing to meet productivity standards on multiple occasions. Durr filed an employment discrimination action, alleging his termination was motivated by racial discrimination under Title VII and Section 1981. He claimed that five Hispanic coworkers who also failed to meet productivity standards were not disciplined or fired. The court denied Piggly Wiggly ADC's motion for summary judgment, finding sufficient evidence that the stated reason for termination was pretextual.

The United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama denied Piggly Wiggly ADC's motion for summary judgment on June 9, 2025, allowing Durr's Title VII and Section 1981 race discrimination claims to proceed to trial.

Whether Piggly Wiggly ADC's stated reason for terminating Durr (productivity issues) was a pretext for racial discrimination, given that five Hispanic comparators who allegedly engaged in similar conduct were not disciplined or fired.

The case highlights ongoing judicial scrutiny of workplace discipline disparities based on race. By allowing the case to proceed, the court reinforced that comparator evidence can be used to challenge employer justifications for termination, potentially impacting how employers document and enforce productivity standards across different racial groups.