12 black employees sue Cleco Corp for racial discrimination

Twelve current or former black employees of Cleco Corp., an energy company based in Pineville, Louisiana, filed a lawsuit against the company for allegedly subjecting them to racial discrimination and a hostile work environment where bosses encouraged “racist and dicriminatory comments”.

In addition, the lawsuit says that the company retaliated against employees who complained to Cleco management about the workplace bullying.

The black employees allege that they “were routinely denied promotion while (Cleco promoted) similarly situated white employees with less experience, education and training.”

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Albertsons pays $9 million to settle EEOC discrimination lawsuit filed on behalf of 168 workers

Albertsons agreed to pay $8.9 million to settle three federal discrimination lawsuits filed by the EEOC on behalf of 168 minority employees who complained of racial discrimination at the Albertsons distribution center in Aurora, Colorado.

Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Jewish employees complained of a hostile work environment from 1995 until 2008 that consisted of racist and anti-Semitic slurs, graffiti, and threats. 

The graffiti in the men’s restroom, which included the word “n—-r” and drawings of black and Hispanic men with nooses around their necks, was so offensive that many workers refused to use the restroom and would wait to relieve themselves outside the warehouse.

Employees allege that even though they complained about the graffiti, it was not removed until years later.  Workers also claim that they heard their white bosses joking and laughing about the racist graffiti.

The EEOC lawsuit alleged that numerous managers knew about and even participated in the harassment and discrimination of minority employees.  Furthermore, many employees who complained about the harassment were denied promotions, given harder job assignments, and were fired in retaliation for having complained.

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Seven black workers sue Dr Pepper Snapple for racial discrimination

Last week seven black employees of the Northlake, IL Dr Pepper Snapple warehouse filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the company for failing to stop the harassment, which allegedly continued for more than two years.

The workers claim that Hispanic supervisors repeatedly hurled racial insults at the black employees and called them such things as “donkey,” “monkey,” and “n—-r.”

In addition, the lawsuit alleges that racially offensive graffiti was written across the black workers’ lockers twice this year. 

A spokesman for Dr Pepper Snapple Group said that the company immediately launched an investigation when it received the workers’ complaints and that it fired a number of employees.

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Texas oilfield service company pays $60,000 to settle race discrimination and retaliation lawsuit

In September, the EEOC announced that an oilfield service company based in Alice, Texas as agreed to pay $60,000 to settle a race discrimination and retaliation lawsuit.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed the lawsuit against the company after it investigated complaints by a white worker who was discriminated against by his Hispanic managers because of his race.  After the worker complained to the HR department about the harassment and hostile work environment, the company allegedly fired him in retaliation. 

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Bahama Breeze pays $1.3 million to settle racial harassment lawsuit

The Bahama Breeze restaurant chain agreed to settle an EEOC racial harassment lawsuit filed on behalf of 37 black workers at the Bahama Breeze restaurant in Beachwood, Ohio.  Bahama Breeze has agreed to pay $1.26 million to settle the lawsuit.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission had accused managers at the Beachwood restaurant of ongoing acts of racial harassment and workplace bullying directed against its black workers.  Black workers were frequently called offensive names such as “stupid n—–r,” “homeboy,” “Aunt Jemima,” and “you people.” 

Managers would imitate the stereotypical black mannerisms and speech.  In addition, black workers were often denied breaks while their white coworkers were allowed breaks.  Even though the workers complained about the harassment, Bahama Breeze management did not stop the abusive behavior.

EEOC Acting Chairman Stuart J. Ishimaru said, “No worker should ever have to endure a racially hostile work environment in order to earn a paycheck.  It is particularly disturbing when managers engage in and condone the very unlawful conduct they are required to prevent and correct.  This sizeable settlement should remind employers of the possible consequences of a failure to promote and maintain a discrimination-free workplace.”

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Black employees file discrimination lawsuit against Harbor UCLA Medical Center

Four African-American employees have filed an employment discrimination lawsuit against Harbor UCLA Medical Center.  The employees, Zena Branson, Laverne Geh, Vickie Moore and Brenda Lee-Richardson, allege that their boss, Candyce Gray, subjected them to a hostile work environment where they suffered from harassment and were discriminated against because of their race.

The lawsuit alleges that Gray referred to African-American employees as “those people,” mocked their speech, and called them derogatory terms such as”lazy” and “uneducated.”  Candyce Gray allegedly repeatedly slammed doors in the plaintiffs’ faces and threw objects at them.

Under Candyce Gray’s supervision, other employees would refer to the African-American employees as “monkeys” and would tell them to “go back to their cages.”  Management allegedly did nothing to stop this harassment.

The lawsuit also alleges that the Harbor UCLA Medical Center disciplined African-American employees without cause, gave them lower scores on their performance evaluations, and hid promotional opportunities from black employees.

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Former NY Psychiatric Center employee awarded $580,000 in hostile work environment lawsuit

The Central New York Psychiatric Center was ordered to pay Christine Bergerson $580,000 for subjecting her to a hostile work environment and for terminating her after she complained about the sexual harassment that she had endured.

Bergerson, who is white, began dating a black coworker while she was employed at the center as a security hospital treatment assistant.  Bergerson alleged in her lawsuit that other coworkers had a problem with her interracial relationship and therefore bullied and harassed her.

The court documents said that the jury found the workplace bullying to be “so severe or pervasive … that it would interfere with her work performance.”

Bergerson’s attorney Norman Deep said that “Christine was put through hell and she had to relive during this trial everything that had occurred to her. We hope that this will send a clear message that in this country you cannot take into the workplace and use your prejudice against individuals working — that women in the workplace deserve to be treated in the same manner that men are.”

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