BLACK WORKERS WERE SUBJECTED TO MONTHS OF RACIAL TAUNTS AND SLURS
PRC Industries, a product remanufacturing company, with an operations center in Reno, Nevado, recently agreed to settle a racial harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for $400,000.
Apparently, two Black workers at its Nevada location suffered months of “hostility” from their supervisors and were subjected to racial taunts and slurs – including the “n-word.” Despite the reporting of the misconduct, management allegedly failed to take appropriate responsive action; opting instead to terminate the employees who filed the complaints.
Since such conduct was believed to violate the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the EEOC initiated litigation (EEOC v. PRC Industries, Inc. Corp Case No. 3-27-2023 JJO-VSC) in U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief.
In addition to the cash payout to the two former employees, the company has agreed to modify its training and employment-related practices.
In a written statement, EEOC San Francisco District Director Nancy Sienko noted that, “Employers who ‘know or should know’ of harassment must take action that is prompt, appropriate and effective …. Respond to reports of harassment with all due consideration, check your policies, and invest in staff training to ensure they properly implement those policies.”
Think industrial relations will now improve?
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