Racial Harassment And Retaliation Lawsuit Settlement

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 .