Former Nippon Express director sues, alleging HR failed to act on harassment complaints

A former director at Nippon Express U.S.A. has filed a lawsuit alleging the company's human resources function failed to adequately address repeated harassment complaints, allowing the alleged conduct to continue for months before he was dismissed.

Timothy Alexander, who served as Director of Healthcare at Nippon Express U.S.A. for nearly three years, filed the lawsuit on 29 May 2026. The complaint alleges sexual harassment, discrimination based on sex, national origin and disability, as well as retaliation following multiple reports to management and HR.

The allegations have not been tested in court. Nippon Express U.S.A. has not yet filed a response, and no court has ruled on the claims.

Complaint details a series of alleged incidents

According to the court filing, Alexander describes himself as a "disabled, non-Japanese male" and alleges that a female co-worker subjected him to repeated inappropriate conduct that was witnessed by company leadership.

The complaint states that the conduct began with the use of the nickname "Tiny Tim" during internal and customer meetings. Alexander alleges the nickname was accompanied by sexual comments and gestures and was used in the presence of senior leaders.

According to the filing:

• A vice president allegedly asked Alexander if he was comfortable with the nickname

• Alexander says he told the executive he was not comfortable

• The vice president allegedly said the matter would be addressed

• The complaint alleges no effective corrective action followed

The lawsuit further alleges that the conduct escalated when the co-worker showed Alexander a sexually explicit image during a workplace conversation.

Investigation allegedly remained unresolved for months

A central claim in the lawsuit concerns the handling of Alexander's complaints after they were reported to HR.

According to the filing, Alexander submitted a formal complaint following the alleged incident involving the image and later sought updates on the investigation.

The lawsuit states that approximately six months after making the complaint, Alexander was informed that the investigation was still ongoing. He alleges he received no meaningful update until around January 2025.

The complaint also alleges that after reporting the conduct to HR and management, his workstation was moved next to the co-worker involved, in an area that was reportedly out of view of managers.

According to the filing, a vice president later acknowledged witnessing inappropriate comments and thanked Alexander for not escalating the matter further.

National origin and disability claims also raised

Beyond the harassment allegations, the lawsuit includes claims relating to national origin and disability discrimination.

According to the complaint, Alexander sought a meeting with HR and was allegedly warned by a vice president to "be careful what you say." The filing further alleges that the executive stated Japanese employees were generally not terminated while non-Japanese employees were.

The lawsuit also claims that a senior executive told Alexander that the company protected Japanese employees who relocated from Japan while treating non-Japanese employees differently.

Alexander further alleges that he suffers from a diagnosed migraine condition and requested an accommodation to continue working remotely after the company ended remote work arrangements in August 2024.

According to the complaint, he was subsequently reprimanded for attendance issues, including on days when he had taken approved sick leave.

Termination followed final complaint, lawsuit claims

The filing states that Alexander submitted a final harassment complaint on 3 March 2025.

According to the lawsuit, his employment was terminated on 17 March 2025, less than two weeks later.

The complaint further alleges that:

• The company offered approximately six weeks of severance pay

• Acceptance of the severance package required waiving legal claims

• Alexander declined the offer

• The co-worker named in the complaint remained employed after his departure

The lawsuit includes nine counts brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Section 1981, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Before filing suit, Alexander submitted a charge to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and received a Notice of Right to Sue, according to the complaint.

Case highlights scrutiny on workplace complaint handling

While the court has not yet evaluated the allegations, the lawsuit places significant focus on how workplace complaints were managed after being reported.

The filing alleges delays in investigating complaints, insufficient corrective action and failures in escalation procedures. It also raises questions about how employers respond to allegations involving harassment, discrimination and accommodation requests when multiple workplace issues intersect.

As the case proceeds through the legal system, attention is likely to centre not only on the underlying allegations but also on the processes used to investigate and respond to employee concerns.

For now, the claims remain allegations, and the court will determine whether they are supported by evidence as the proceedings move forward.