Resources are available on the internet for researching general information about employment discrimination and civil rights.  In this regard, the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a federal agency which enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, and the EEOC provides information about it at http://www.eeoc.gov , as well as yearly statistical analysis concerning discrimination charge filings at http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistical/enforcement/index.cfm .  In addition, the EEOC provides the general public with News Releases concerning employment discrimination lawsuits and settlements at http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/index.cfm .  The United States government also makes available to the general public information about housing discrimination through the http://www.hud.gov link for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Department of Labor (DOL) makes information available at http://www.dol.gov .  For its own part, the U. S. Department of Justice (DOJ) maintains a website at http://www.justice.gov in which information is available concerning certain forms of discrimination and civil rights cases.  Like the EEOC, the DOJ issues News Releases as well.  See, http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/Month/index.jsp .  DOJ News Releases pertain, for example, to information about civil rights violation cases and certain forms of discrimination.  In Texas, the Texas Workforce Commission provides information to Texans regarding employment discrimination at http://www.twc.state.tx.us/crd/facts.html and the Texas Civil Rights Project provides information about racial, social and economic justice at http://www.texascivilrightsproject.org .  Further information about social justice issues, as well as hate crimes and hate groups, may be found in the website of the Southern Poverty Law Center at http://www.splcenter.org .

Whether employment discrimination or civil rights violations occur in Texas or elsewhere in the United States, good resources for victims are made available on the internet by such agencies or organizations as the EEOC, DOL, HUD, DOJ, Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Civil Rights Project and the Southern Poverty Law Center.  There are, of course, other resources victims of employment discrimination and civil rights abuses may access.  Moreover, discrimination and civil rights violation victims may contact an attorney to determine whether a civil lawsuit for damages may ultimately be appropriate under the particular facts and circumstances of the potential discrimination or civil rights violation claim.

In a January 6, 2010 Press Release at http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/1-6-10.cfm , the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that 93,277 workplace discrimination charges were filed with the federal agency nationwide during Fiscal Year 2009, the second highest level ever.  According to the EEOC Press Release, the Fiscal Year 2009 data show that private sector job bias charges (which include those filed against state and local governments) alleging discrimination based on disability, religion and/or national origin hit record highs.  The number of charges alleging age related discrimination reached the second highest level ever.  Continuing a decade-long trend, the most frequently filed charges with the EEOC in Fiscal Year 2009 were charges alleging discrimination based on race (36%), retaliation (36%), and sex-based discrimination (30%).  The Fiscal Year 2009 statistics can be found at http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistics/enforcement/index.cfm .  As stated in the Press Release, the federal agency also filed 281 new “merits” lawsuits and resolved 321 merits lawsuits in Fiscal Year 2009.  In this regard, merits suits include direct suits and interventions alleging violations of the substantive provisions of the statutes enforced by the EEOC and suits to enforce administrative settlements. 

Further information about the EEOC may be found at www.eeoc.gov .

The Brownsville Herald reported in a December 22, 2009 article entitled Ex-bus Monitor Files Whistleblower Lawsuit Against BISD that a former Brownsville Independent School District school bus monitor filed a lawsuit against the district, alleging she was fired because she reported a bus driver for smoking tobacco on a school bus used to transport students.  As stated in the Brownsville publication’s article posted at http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/articles/monitor-106645-bisd-whistle.html , the Brownsville attorney representing the victim filed the whistleblower lawsuit, claiming the termination occurred barely a month after she reported the alleged smoking to BISD’s administrator for transportation.  According to the article, the lawsuit notes that when the former employee initially went to the administrator, she was advised not to file a written report.  The whistleblower lawsuit seeks employment reinstatement, compensation for lost wages, reinstatement of fringe benefits and seniority rights. court costs and attorney fees.

In a Houston News Release at http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/osha20091557.htm , the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (”OSHA”) announced on January 4, 2010 that it issued an environmental services company willful and serious citations after an investigation into a fatal explosion at the company’s Griggs Road facility in Houston.  The proposed penalties announced by OSHA total $1,477,500.  According to the OSHA News Release, in July 2009, an employee cleaning a tank was killed in an explosion when an altered piece of equipment ignited flammable vapors inside the tank.  OSHA further stated that the fatality was the third death in less than a year at this employer’s facilities.  In this regard, OSHA issued 15 willful citations, alleging that 15 pieces of electrical equipment were unsafe to use in the tank wash area due to the presence of flammable and combustible vapors.  In addition, OSHA issued two other willful citations along with 54 serious violations. 

OSHA’s mission is, according to its News Release, to promote safe and healthful working conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, outreach and education.  More information about OSHA is available at http://www.osha.gov .

When employment related personal injury or death occurs in Houston, victims may contact OSHA’s Houston South Area Office at 281-286-0583, OSHA’s North Area Office at 281-591-2438 or the OSHA hotline at 1(800)321-6742.  In addition, victims of job site personal injury or death may contact a lawyer.

The U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, including race discrimination which violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  In this regard, EEOC lawyers announced in a January 8, 2010 Press Release that a Cleveland automobile dealership will pay $85,000 and furnish other relief to settle a race discrimination and retaliation lawsuit.  According to the EEOC Press Release, EEOC lawyers charged in the case that since 2007 the automobile dealership subjected a class of African Americans to different terms and conditions of employment and a hostile work environment on the basis of race.  In the EEOC Press Release found at http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/8-1-10.cfm , the federal agency claimed further that the discriminatory conduct included racial epithets and also involved management making sales team assignments based upon race.  In addition, EEOC lawyers alleged that an individual was retaliated against after he complained about the unlawful discrimination.

Further information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov .

Whether unlawful employment related race discrimination and retaliation for complaining about it occurs in Texas or elsewhere, victims of workplace racial discrimination may contact the EEOC and a lawyer to determine whether an employment discrimination lawsuit is ultimately appropriate under the particular circumstances and facts of the potential harassment claim.

Trial lawyers with the Dallas Office of the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) announced in a January 11, 2010 Press Release that a Crowell, Texas based cap manufacturing facility has agreed to settle a sexual harassment and constructive discharge lawsuit filed by the federal agency in the Wichita Falls Division for the Northern District of Texas.  According to the EEOC Press Release found at http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/1-11-10.cfm , lawyers charged in the case that the company subjected an embroidery machine operator to a sexually hostile work environment created by the company’s president and co-owner.  As stated in the Press Release, the alleged male harasser would tug on the employee’s pants and made multiple threats to her to pull down her pants.  In this regard, EEOC lawyers contended that he made good on the threats when he pulled her pants down in front of her co-workers, humiliating and embarrassing her.  The continuing harassment, culminating in this invasive behavior, forced her to resign, according to the EEOC.  A trial lawyer with the EEOC’s Dallas Office commented, in part, as follows: “To have such a high level official subject a subordinate employee to such mistreatment has the potential to establish acceptance of such behavior in the workplace.”  Another EEOC lawyer added as follows: “This settlement should serve as a notice to employers that the EEOC does not consider the threat or the act of pulling a woman’s pants down in the workplace to be a sophmoric prank.”

The EEOC is a federal agency which enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, including sexual harassment that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  During Fiscal Year 2007, the EEOC and state and local fair employment practice agencies received a combined total of 12,510 sexual harassment charge filings nationwide.  EEOC lawyers filed the sexual harassment lawsuit in Texas after the EEOC first attempted to reach a pre-litigation settlement.  Further information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov .

Whether job related sexual harassment and discrimination occurs in Dallas, Houston, Wichita Falls or elsewhere, victims of a sexually hostile work environment may contact the EEOC and a lawyer to determine whether an employment discrimination lawsuit is ultimately appropriate in Texas under the particular circumstances and facts of the potential workplace harassment claim.

The U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) is a federal agency which enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, including work related racial bias.  In this regard, EEOC lawyers announced in a January 5, 2010 Press Release that an investment management company will pay $300,000 to a qualified black applicant the federal agency claims was not hired for a financial planning manager position because of the applicant’s race, despite substantial work experience.  According to the Press Release at http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/1-510.cfm , EEOC lawyers charged that the applicant was well qualified for the position of financial planning manager at the company’s Charlotte, North Carolina office, but was rejected for hire based on her race.  Instead, the company allegedly hired a less qualified white applicant.  Further information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov .

Whether unlawful hiring practices and race related job application rejections occur in Beaumont, Houston, San Antonio or elsewhere, employment application discrimination victims may contact the EEOC and a lawyer to determine if an employment discrimination lawsuit is ultimately appropriate under the particular circumstances and facts of the potential bias in hiring claim.

The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) is a federal agency which enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, including race discrimination and retaliation for complaining about race discrimination in the workplace.  In this regard, EEOC lawyers announced in a December 31, 2009 Press Release at http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/12-31-09a.cfm that a Memphis radioactive waste processing company will pay $650,000 to 23 African American employees and provide other relief to settle a race and retaliation discrimination lawsuit filed in Tennessee.  According to the EEOC Press Release, EEOC attorneys charged in the case that African American employees were subjected to racially offensive comments by their white supervisor, excessive radiation exposure and derogatory slurs.  A lawyer with the EEOC’s Memphis District Office who was quoted in the Press Release stated, in part, that racial harassment remains a longstanding problem in the workplace for many minorities.  Further information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov .

In a December 29, 2009 Press Release at http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/12-29-09.cfm , the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) announced that a Tennessee federal court judge has entered a $1,073,261 judgment against Whirlpool Corporation in an employment discrimination lawsuit.  According to the EEOC Press Release, the federal agency alleged in its lawsuit that the appliance manufacturing giant failed to protect a former African-American employee from persistent harassment by a white male coworker, which ultimately resulted in her being physically assaulted by him.  As stated in the Press Release, the trial evidence showed that the former employee reported escalating offensive verbal conduct and gestures by the male coworker over a period of two months before he physically assaulted her.  EEOC attorneys filed the lawsuit against the company under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement through the agency’s conciliation process.  An EEOC attorney quoted in the Press Release stated that “Whirlpool unsuccessfully argued that because it had posted a policy prohibiting harassment, the company relieved itself of responsibility …”  The EEOC attorney said as well, however, that “the court correctly pointed out that when those charged with enforcing a policy don’t take that responsibility seriously, an employer has not met its duty under Title VII to prevent and stop illegal harassment in its workplace.”  Further information about the EEOC and the laws it enforces is available in the EEOC’s website at www.eeoc.gov .

The United States Department of Justice (”DOJ”) announced in a December 22, 2009 Press Release that an Indiana man has been sentenced to 42 months in prison for interfering with the housing rights of a white woman and an African-American man by burning a cross in their yard and later returning with a knife and threatening the man if he did not leave.  See, http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/December/09-crt-1374.html