Richard Yang, an Asian American employee, has filed a lawsuit against his former employer, alleging racial discrimination and retaliation in the workplace. The complaint was lodged by Richard Yang in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on February 4, 2026, against CCI Systems, Inc., a company providing network support systems.
The case centers around Yang’s allegations that he faced discriminatory treatment based on his race while employed at CCI Systems. According to the complaint, Yang was hired as a Fiber Splicer on August 17, 2023. Initially placed on hourly work with a promise of transitioning to production work upon training completion, Yang claims he was moved back to hourly pay without justification despite satisfactory performance. This action allegedly occurred while other non-Asian employees with documented work issues remained on production work. On January 15, 2024, Yang reported this perceived discrimination to CCI’s Human Resources department but saw no corrective action taken.
Yang’s lawsuit outlines multiple instances where he believes racial bias influenced employment decisions. For example, he asserts that by July 31, 2024, several White employees had committed similar or more severe infractions without facing demotion or salary reduction. Despite these circumstances and after raising concerns about safety issues with equipment and reporting them through proper channels in July 2024, Yang continued to face what he describes as retaliatory actions from his supervisors.
On September 3, 2024, Yang received a “final written warning” regarding alleged errors in his work—claims which were later contradicted by another employee who verified that Yang’s work was correct. This warning came after Yang had completed tasks satisfactorily and even received acknowledgment from his supervisor for doing so. The lawsuit further alleges that CCI Systems used this warning as a pretext for termination following an incident on November 8, 2024, where Yang accidentally damaged company property but promptly reported it according to protocol.
In response to these events and subsequent termination on November 25, 2024, Yang filed three separate claims of discrimination and retaliation with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). These claims were substantiated by EEOC Notices of Right to Sue issued on December 10, 2025.
Yang is seeking various forms of relief from the court including compensatory damages for lost wages and emotional distress caused by CCI’s alleged discriminatory practices. He also seeks punitive damages due to what he perceives as malicious intent behind CCI’s actions. Additionally, he requests reimbursement for legal fees incurred during this process.
Representing Richard Yang is attorney William R. Rettko from Rettko Law Offices S.C., while John A Haase from Godfrey & Kahn S.C., represents CCI Systems Inc. The case is presided over under Case ID: 26-CV-85 in the Western District of Wisconsin.
Source: 326cv00085_Yang_v_CCI_Systems_Inc_Complaint_Western_District_Wisconsin.pdf
