Legal news for Tennessee employment law attorneys. A class action lawsuit claims black employees were racially discriminated.
Tennessee employment law attorneys alerts- A class action lawsuit accuses Nashville Electric Service of discrimination.
Nashville, TN—Nashville’s electricity utility and the city government is being sued by twenty black employees, or prospective employees for allegedly racially discriminating against them in hiring and promotional opportunities, and forcing them to work in a racially hostile environment. The lawsuit, which is seeking class action status, was filed in the federal court, as reported by The Leaf Chronicle.
The lawsuit claims, the Nashville Electric Service has discriminated against blacks on several instances. Three claimants allege in 2007, a dark-skinned training dummy with a noose around its neck was present at the workplace. A 23-year-old custodial worker reported the racially charged dummy, and later discovered her car had been vandalized by co-workers for reporting the incident. When the electric utility officials suspended three workers responsible for the putting the noose on the dummy, the workers retaliated by collecting money for the suspended workers so they did not loose any pay during their suspension. In February 2007, another worker stated a foreman said, “During Black History Month where I come from, we hang people.” The lawsuit also claims seven black workers reported hearing racial slurs on several occasions, and claimed management did not take active steps in disciplining workers who wore Confederate symbols at work. In addition, nine workers claimed they were denied promotions into “traditionally white job classifications” because of their race or skin color. Four workers also were denied jobs, which were given to white applicants, who were not more qualified for the position then the black applicants. The discrimination lawsuit is currently seeking class action status for over 100 current, former, or prospective employees. The lawsuit is asking the court to order the Nashville Electric Service to award back pay and damages, and to restructure it’s work force.
Legal News Reporter: Nicole Howley-Legal news for Tennessee employment law lawyers.