Same ole South, GNT Foods sued for Racial discrimination
Atlanta, GA – G.N.T. Inc., a popular southern grocery store, is being sued for racial discrimination and retaliation. According to a suit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC), GNT Foods has been be charged with creating a racially hostile work environment for its African- American employees. Further, after they filed a racial discrimination and retaliation charge against the store’s owner, the suit charges that GNT fired a number of employees in retaliation for opposing the racially harassing behavior.
According to the suit, Corey Bussey, Justine Jones, and Christopher Evans worked at the blatantly racists grocer. All three gentlemen were employees in GNT’s meat department and endured the store owner’s daily use of the words “n—er,” “monkey” and almost every other racial epithet he could think of. Further, the suit alleges that the store’s owner prominently displayed racially offensive posters in the department, often depicting monkeys with the intention to humiliate GNT’s black employees. All three employees complained of the harassing behavior, but the discrimination continued.
GNT’s discriminatory conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII prohibits employers from discriminating against its employees on the basis of their race. While this generally takes the form of comments, often conduct, such as hanging posters of monkeys in a public workplace, are clear examples of racial discrimination and race based harassment.
Bernice Williams – Kimbrough, the district director for Atlanta’s EEOC District Office, stated her concerns that too many employees are being discouraged from standing up for their rights, and bringing claims employment discrimination because of the fear of retaliation. However, Title VII is designed to prevent employers from retaliating against their employees when they participate in the protected activity of opposing racially discriminatory practices. Retaliation often include an adverse employment action, such as the removal of job responsibilities, or being terminated.
Under Title VII, when an employer retaliates against an employee because they participated in a protected activity, the Courts often award that employee back-pay, compensatory damages and punitive damages in an effort to make that employee whole after their employer discriminated against them.
Many States, such as New York, have robust laws against employment discrimination. For example, the New York Human Rights Law (NYSHRL) protects the rights of New Yorkers in the workplace, providing a more liberal basis for employment discrimination than those found in federal statutes. Further States like New Jersey have passed the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD), which protects the rights of New Jersey workers from discrimination in the workplace, including during the hiring and promotion process.
While the modern era brings with it a spirit of racial equality never before seen in the United States, many employers still cling on to racially bigoted ideas of the past and often participate in workplace discrimination. The New York City sexual harassment attorneys at the Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC, have years of experience litigating claims of sexual harassment and employment discrimination, working closely with our Philadelphia sexual harassment attorneys, we have recovered millions on behalf of our clients who have been discriminated against because of their race. If you feel you have been discriminated against in the workplace, please give our talented attorneys a call, toll free, at (800) 807-2209. for a free consultation to discuss your possible claim.
Call today to schedule a FREE sexual harassment or employment discrimination legal Consultation in NY, NJ & PA with one of our top rated employment law or sexual harassment attorneys here at the Derek Smith Law Group. You can reach us online or by calling . Our New York City, New Jersey and Philadelphia labor & employment law attorneys handle a variety of cases involving sexual harassment, racial discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, and other employment-related claims. We serve clients throughout New York, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. We also have offices in New Jersey and Philadelphia to serve you.
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