Kevin McNeil has sued his former employer, Concrete Supply of Iowa. Besides claiming he was fired for pointing out the smoking violation, McNeil also says he suffered from racial discrimination, harassment and retaliation by his former employer.

The lawsuit claims that, 15 days after the state’s no-smoking law took effect, he confronted a co-worker smoking in the company break room. McNeil claims he told the co-worker smoking in the room was illegal and asked him to smoke outside. Then McNeil filed a complaint with the state health department, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The lawsuit claims the co-worker who was accused of smoking in the break room and a witness were interviewed. McNeil was fired three days later for allegedly “promoting violence in the workplace.”

McNeil also claims he was subjected to racial slurs and that the company did nothing after he complained several times. He cites one incident in which an employee — the same one accused of smoking in the break room — brought in a homemade toy monkey with a noose around its neck, and that he was told he should “get over it.”

The company denies all the charges.

McNeil’s attorney calls this an important public policy case that reminds employers that an employee who notes a co-worker’s illegal behavior shouldn’t be fired.