Racial Harassment Case

In a May 26, 2009 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) Press Release, the federal agency announced that a North Carolina lumber and hardware retailer will pay $80,000.00 and furnish other relief to settle a race discrimination and harassment lawsuit in which the EEOC charged that the company subjected a black worker to a racially hostile work environment, including explicit racial slurs as well as racial jokes and derogatory stereotypes about blacks.  See, http://eeoc.gov/press/5-26-09.html .  An EEOC attorney was quoted in the Press Release as saying that “We are pleased that the EEOC was able to resolve this case of egregious racial harassment.” 

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination.  Further information about the EEOC is available in the agency’s website at www.eeoc.gov .  In Texas, the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division (”TWCCRD”) enforces the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act; which has been codified into Texas Labor Code, Chapter 21.  In this regard, Chapter 21 of the Texas Labor Code prohibits race discrimination and harassment in the workplace.  Further information from the TWCCRD about employment related race discrimination and harassment may be found in the TWCCRD’s “Employment Discrimination Fact Sheets” at http://www.twc.state.tx.us/crd/facts.html .

Whether racial harassment related to employment occurs in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio or elsewhere, employment discrimination victims may contact the EEOC and, in Texas, the TWCCRD, as well as an attorney or lawyer to determine if a hostile work environment lawsuit may ultimately be appropriate under the particular facts and circumstances of the potential race harassment case.