EMPLOYEES WERE SUBJECTED TO GAY SLURS, OFFENSIVE COMMENTS & HOSTILE BEHAVIOR
A trucking company known as TA DEDICATED allegedly allowed two of its mechanics, who happened to be gay, to be subjected to slurs (and other derogatory remarks) related to their orientation, physical violence and “other inappropriate contact,” defacement of their uniforms, and other hostile behavior.
While management was made aware of the harassment, it failed to take appropriate action, causing the mechanics to suffer “further harassment and retaliation, including being fired or forced to quit.”
Believing that such conduct violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed suit (EEOC v. TA Dedicated, Inc. d/b/a Transport America and TForce TL Holdings USA, Inc. d/b/a Transportation Enterprise Services, Case No. 1:23-cv-01802) in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief.
In addition to paying over $300,000 in damages to the two victims, along with a civil penalty, the company has agreed to modify its employment and training related practices, including establishing a hotline to report misconduct.
In a written statement, Debra Lawrence, regional attorney of the EEOC’s Philadelphia District Office noted that, “We are pleased this settlement provides meaningful compensation to the mechanics who suffered harassment because of their sexual orientation and retaliation for speaking up …. And the reporting hotline, training, tracking, posting, and EEOC monitoring required by the consent decree should help ensure that other LGBTQI+ persons don’t have to endure similar abuse.”
Do you think the company appreciated the mechanics behind that?