Race Bias Case

The U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) announced in a September 3, 2009 Press Release that a building material company has agreed to settle an employment discrimination lawsuit filed by EEOC attorneys for $49,500.00 and other relief on behalf of an African American employee who was allegedly subjected to racial discrimination.  See, http://www.eeoc.gov/press/9-3-09d.html .  As stated in the EEOC Press Release, EEOC attorneys charged that the employee was assigned to less desirable and lower-paying jobs because of his race and that a supervisor responsible for determining job assignments referred to him using racial slurs.  According to the Press Release, the alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race.  An EEOC attorney quoted in the Press Release said “An employee’s race should not impact his paycheck.”  The EEOC attorney added “In the current economy, the consequences of discriminatory pay decisions can be especially devastating.”  Another EEOC attorney quoted in the Press Release said “We still see egregious instances of racial bias at job sites across the country, as evidenced by this case and many others.”  In this regard, the EEOC is a federal agency which enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, including workplace racial bias.  Further information about the EEOC is avaialable in the agency’s website.

Whether workplace racial bias occurs in Baytown, Houston, Port Arthur or elsewhere, victims of race based employment discrimination may contact the EEOC and an attorney to determine if a racial bias lawsuit is ultimately appropriate under the particular circumstances and facts of the potential racial discrimination case.