ENERGY COMPANY FUELED A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT
In a press release dated April 30, 2024, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that it had reached a settlement with Liberty Energy, Inc – d/b/a Liberty Oilfield Services LLC – to resolve a race and national original discrimination lawsuit filed by the agency.
Apparently, three of their employees – a Black field mechanic and two Hispanic co-workers – were exposed to a “hostile environment” and subjected to derogatory comments and racial slurs, such as the “N-word,” “beaner,” and “wetback.” And while that misconduct was reported, “no effective corrective or remedial action was taken.” In fact, the Black mechanic was allegedly forced to perform “undesirable work tasks and was isolated by his peers.”
Believing that such conduct violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race and national origin, the EEOC filed suit, Civil Action No. 7:23-cv-00100, in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Midland-Odessa Division, seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief.
In addition to remitting $265,000, the company has agreed to modify its employment polices and practices and will provide employees with a hotline for the reporting of discrimination and harassment.
In a written statement, EEOC's Regional Attorney Robert Canino said, “Unfortunately, we have often seen cases in which one account of discriminatory treatment against a person based on a particular race or ethnicity leads to evidence that other racial or ethnic minorities have also been caught up in a broader unhealthy environment of demeaning and unlawful conduct. This employer’s commitment to address the bigger-picture issues can be expected to have a broader positive impact beyond the individual who filed the charge.”
Did they take too much liberty there?
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