$465,000 Settlement in Noose Harassment Case
The EEOC announced that Henredon Furniture Industries has agreed to pay $465,000 to employees who claimed they were subjected to a racially hostile work environment.
According to the EEOC, African-American employees at Henredon’s High Point, North Carolina plant were subjected to almost daily threats and racial slurs. Specifically, employees alleged that they were repeatedly threatened with hangman’s nooses displayed in the workplace and were called various racial epithets, including the “N-word.”
The $465,000 in compensatory damages will be divided among seven complainants. In addition, a consent decree entered in the case enjoins Henredon from engaging in further harassment or retaliation and requires the company to conduct anti-discrimination training, report any complaints of harassment directly to the EEOC and post notices informing employees of the settlement.
“This case is the latest indicator that racial harassment in general, and nooses in particular, remain persistent problems at some job sites nationwide,” said EEOC Chair Naomi Earp. “It’s time for corporate America to be more proactive in preventing and eliminating racist behavior in the workplace. The EEOC intends to make clear that race and color discrimination in the workplace, whether verbal or behavioral, is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
EEOC District Director Reuben Daniels, Jr. added, “This settlement should remind employers of the potentially serious consequences of failing to take effective action to prevent and remedy racial harassment. It is in the best interest of all employers to create inclusive, discrimination-free work environments in accordance with the law.”
As reported previously here on the Blawg, 2007 was a record year for racial harassment claims. According to the EEOC, racial harassment charge filings have more than doubled in the past decade.
In response, last year the EEOC launched the E-RACE Initiative (Eradicating Racism And Colorism from Employment). Click here to learn more.
