On February 21, the EEOC announced reaching a $400,000 settlement with Ready-Mix relating to racial harassment at its Montgomery, Alabama facility.
In the lawsuit, the EEOC claimed that a class of black males was subjected to a racially hostile work environment. The EEOC alleged that a noose was displayed in the worksite, that derogatory racial language, including references to the Ku Klux Klan, was used by a direct supervisor and manager and that race-based name calling occurred. Ready Mix denied that racial harassment occurred at its worksites.
These types of settlement are a reminder that racial discrmination still takes place in the Alabama workplace and that employees who have been subjected to such discrimination should not remain quiet in fear of retaliation. If you would like to learn more about employment and discrimination laws in Alabama, please contact me at wbeckum@beckumlaw.com for a free consultation.