In 2008, plaintiff Harold Winston, a black, supervising deputy in his 50s with the title of Public Administrator I, complained that black employees in the Los Angeles County Tax Collector’s office, particularly males, were not given the same promotional opportunities and were disciplined more harshly than others. He also complained that he found an implicit bias training program racially offensive. Winston claimed that after making the complaints, he was issued a 10-day suspension. He also claimed that he was micromanaged, given suspensions and otherwise subjected to a hostile work environment after he made his initial complaints in 2008. In addition, he claimed that he was issued a 20-day suspension in 2013 in retaliation for his complaint about management attempting to cover up a senior manager’s misappropriation of assets. Winston sued his employer, the county of Los Angeles. He alleged that the county’s actions constituted racial discrimination and whistleblower retaliation. Winston claimed that he was subjected to a hostile work environment since making his initial complaints about racial discrimination. He alleged that since 2008, he was micromanaged and issued suspensions and that at one point, he was asked to sign a performance evaluation that he did not agree with. He claimed that when he refused, his supervisor made a “Juneteenth” reference in an attempt to bully him into signing the evaluation. Winston claimed that when he complained about the incident, the supervisor was offended that anyone would think he was racist, so the supervisor tried to have him disciplined for making the complaint. However, instead, the supervisor was suspended as a result of Winston’s complaint. In addition, Winston claimed that when he complained that management was attempting to cover up the misappropriation of assets by a senior manager with the office of the County of Los Angeles Department of Treasurer and Tax Collector, he was retaliated against by being issued a 20-day suspension in 2013. Thus, plaintiff’s counsel argued that Winston was discriminated against based on his race, was subjected to a hostile work environment, and was retaliated against for being a whistleblower. The county’s counsel argued that Winston was not discriminated against based on his race nor subjected to a hostile work environment. Counsel also denied there was any cover-up of the misappropriation of the funds., Winston worked for the county for 30 years. He claimed the hostile work environment at the subject office became unbearable and negatively impacted his health. Specifically, he claimed that a combination of anxiety and depression manifested in physical ailments. He alleged that as a result, he ultimately chose to retire from his position, though earlier than he had wanted. Winston sought recovery for his past and future loss of earnings, and past and future emotional and physical pain and suffering.