NEW ORLEANS, La. (BRPROUD) — A Louisiana-based food preparer and retailer has agreed to pay nearly $70,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Don’s Specialty Meats, Inc., will pay a former employee $67,500 to settle the lawsuit.
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, the general manager at Don’s Specialty Meats routinely referred to the employee as “Black boy,” “the Black boy” and “little Black guy,” and he regularly used the “n” word in the employee’s presence. When the worker’s supervisor repeatedly called the worker a “bitch ass [n——r]” in front of managers and other employees, Don’s Specialty Meats, Inc. dismissed the employee — but not the supervisor — for the rest of the day. The employee found the conditions so intolerable that he resigned, the EEOC said.
“This is a strong resolution which serves the public interest,” said Rudy Sustaita, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Houston District Office. “The decree provides relief for the former employee and will help assure that no employees will be subject to harassment based on race.”
In addition to the back pay, Don’s Specialty Meats will also conduct training, revise policies, provide regular reports to the EEOC, and post a notice that affirms its obligations under Title VII and states that employees can report violations to the EEOC.
