Tweet
Companies to pay $1.2m for racist actions
Discrimination: companies to pay up in Wyoming
RELATED STORIES
[/COLOR]
Luke Johnson
04 December 2014 00:14 GMT
A trio of oilfield services companies operating in the US state of Wyoming have agreed to pay a $1.2 million settlement for racial discrimination in the workplace and repeated use of ethnic slurs and racist language directed at more than a dozen Native American, Hispanic and black employees.
Michigan-based Dart Energy, Beckman Production Services and J&R Well Service were all named in a lawsuit brought by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) after former employees complained about how they were treated on the job.
The settlement requires the companies to pay $955,000 to 17 individual employees and $245,000 to their lawyers. None of the companies admitted a violation of the law, but agreed to not discriminate based on race.
US District Judge Scott Skavdahl of Casper, Wyoming, approved the settlement.
Click here to read a copy of the complaint.
According to a lawsuit, the defendants "created a hostile work environment through repeated use of offensive racial and/or ethnic slurs and comments, unfavourable job assignments, discipline, and demotions".
The companies were also accused of firing various employees because of their race or national origin.
The complaint details numerous offensive terms and slurs used by supervisors; one of them - truck supervisor Ken Nelson - is named as the "main perpetrator".
Under Nelson's watch a sign reading "no minorities allowed" was posted on a white board in the trailer at one of the rigs, the complaint states.
Nelson was also accused of telling a minority employee on more than one occasion something to the effect of "this is a white man’s job. If you can’t handle it, leave".
Another supervisor was said to have intentionally caused an elevator to shake while a black employee was high up in the air, apparently in an attempt to get the black employee to quit the job.
"Working in the oil and gas industry can be dangerous enough. Employees shouldn't have to fight bigotry at the same time," EEOC trial attorney Sean Ratliff said in a statement.
"I commend these men for standing up for their rights. I hope that their efforts will inspire others to do the same."
Discrimination: companies to pay up in Wyoming
- SHARE STORY
- in[COLOR=#333333 !important]Share
- [COLOR=#04558B !important]1[/COLOR]
- Contact us
RELATED STORIES
- NOV settles racial discrimination suit
20 May 2014 05:37 GMT - $2.6m for ex-Saga boss in racist sacking
20 October 2000 12:00 GMT - Enventure worker sacked in 'racial harassment' probe
05 October 2006 11:01 GMT - 'Racist' remarks put trial on hold
09 August 1997 12:00 GMT
[/COLOR]
Luke Johnson
04 December 2014 00:14 GMT
A trio of oilfield services companies operating in the US state of Wyoming have agreed to pay a $1.2 million settlement for racial discrimination in the workplace and repeated use of ethnic slurs and racist language directed at more than a dozen Native American, Hispanic and black employees.
Michigan-based Dart Energy, Beckman Production Services and J&R Well Service were all named in a lawsuit brought by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) after former employees complained about how they were treated on the job.
The settlement requires the companies to pay $955,000 to 17 individual employees and $245,000 to their lawyers. None of the companies admitted a violation of the law, but agreed to not discriminate based on race.
US District Judge Scott Skavdahl of Casper, Wyoming, approved the settlement.
Click here to read a copy of the complaint.
According to a lawsuit, the defendants "created a hostile work environment through repeated use of offensive racial and/or ethnic slurs and comments, unfavourable job assignments, discipline, and demotions".
The companies were also accused of firing various employees because of their race or national origin.
The complaint details numerous offensive terms and slurs used by supervisors; one of them - truck supervisor Ken Nelson - is named as the "main perpetrator".
Under Nelson's watch a sign reading "no minorities allowed" was posted on a white board in the trailer at one of the rigs, the complaint states.
Nelson was also accused of telling a minority employee on more than one occasion something to the effect of "this is a white man’s job. If you can’t handle it, leave".
Another supervisor was said to have intentionally caused an elevator to shake while a black employee was high up in the air, apparently in an attempt to get the black employee to quit the job.
"Working in the oil and gas industry can be dangerous enough. Employees shouldn't have to fight bigotry at the same time," EEOC trial attorney Sean Ratliff said in a statement.
"I commend these men for standing up for their rights. I hope that their efforts will inspire others to do the same."