A former finance director at Mooresville-based Lowe’s is accusing the home improvement giant of punishing him for speaking up on diversity and for refusing to play games with the numbers. In a new federal lawsuit, Ivan Diaz-Campos says he was fired after pushing for greater Latino representation and rejecting directives he alleges would have manipulated sales figures.
The complaint seeks more than $100,000, reinstatement and back pay. It says managers placed Diaz-Campos on a formal performance-improvement plan in mid-2023, then terminated him that December. He also claims he faced unequal discipline and was frozen out of opportunities, which he characterizes as retaliation for his advocacy.
According to the complaint, as summarized in local reporting, Diaz-Campos, who was hired in January 2015 and rose to director of finance and divisional finance lead, says a supervisor told him in October 2023 to present lowered, manipulated sales figures. He says he objected, arguing the move would violate federal law and the N.C. Wage and Hour Act. As reported by the Charlotte Observer, the suit also alleges he was blocked from serving on an internship interview panel and that a white employee who had not engaged in protected advocacy replaced him after his firing. The complaint states that Diaz-Campos filed a formal charge with the EEOC in June 2024 and later received a right-to-sue notice.
Federal docket and the case now
Federal docket listings place the case in the Western District of North Carolina as Diaz-Campos v. Lowe’s Companies, Inc., No. 3:26-cv-00574, with filings beginning in mid-July. PacerMonitor and legal trade reporting describe the complaint as alleging race and national-origin discrimination, retaliation and related state-law claims. Legal coverage notes that the file combines whistleblower and discrimination allegations in a way that could bring both federal Title VII and state wage-and-hour issues into the case.
Lowe’s response and company context
In a statement to reporters, a Lowe’s spokesperson declined to comment on pending litigation and said the company is committed to diversity and inclusion, according to the Charlotte Observer. The lawsuit hits a major employer: Lowe’s, headquartered in Mooresville, operates more than 1,700 stores and employs roughly 300,000 people companywide, according to the company’s corporate materials. That kind of scale helps explain why employment battles in the C-suite can quickly draw both local and national eyes.
What the law requires
Under federal law, most workplace discrimination or retaliation suits begin with an EEOC charge and a notice of right to sue, and the agency explains that a charging party may request a right-to-sue letter and then has 90 days to file in court. Guidance from the EEOC clarifies that timeline and the agency’s role. Employment reporting and the complaint itself describe allegations that, if proven, could support claims for discriminatory discipline, retaliation and related state wage-and-hour violations, and those specifics are reflected in coverage by legal outlets tracking the filing. Law360 has summarized the core allegations and procedural posture.
What to watch next
Court watchers will be tracking the early paperwork: Lowe’s removal documents, any motions to dismiss and the plaintiff’s jury demand, which the complaint says Diaz-Campos requested. Federal docket listings remain the clearest way to follow new developments in the case, and the entry for No. 3:26-cv-00574 shows the matter is active and open to public review. Reporters have contacted both sides and plan to update coverage as attorneys file answers and the court sets a schedule for discovery and hearings.
