All too often, business owners are not aware of their managers or supervisors engaging in discriminatory practices toward workers. When workers complain about racial or nationality slurs being made in the workplace, this is a red flag for owners to seek legal counsel and handle such complaints before situations escalate.
Recently the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission brought a case in Nevada against a hospitality industry company named Pioneer Hotel. The EEOC alleged that since 2006, hotel workers, who were a class of Latino and/or brown-skinned workers, bore the brunt of extremely offensive and derogatory comments based on their nationality and skin color. The workers subjected to this discrimination were mainly security officers and housekeeping staff. Supervisors and co-workers made these slurs against them and also instructed them not to speak Spanish during their break times. Despite the fact that workers submitted numerous complaints, the hotel failed to stop and correct the discriminatory behavior.
Such treatment was in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed a lawsuit and Pioneer entered into a four-year consent decree to settle the dispute. Terms of the settlement included paying $150,000 to the class members and obtaining an equal employment opportunity consultant to ensure implementation of effective training, policies and procedures to prevent further discrimination, harassment and retaliation. Complaints must be reported immediately to the human resources department, and the company must devise a centralized system to track complaints and post the consent decree at the hotel.
When business owners work closely with employment litigation attorneys, they receive vital legal help to avoid incidents such as the above.
Business owners who see signs of discrimination in their company should consult with our attorneys at Stephen Hans & Associates as soon as possible. If you already face employment disputes we can help protect your rights and settle out of court or litigate on your behalf.