Tip Tuesday! Ignoring discrimination complaints costs how much? This firm’s out $4M

by Christian Schappel

Discrimination is not something you want to go ignored, especially if you have a large workforce. Here’s a great example of why managers can’t let complaints slide to the back burner. 

If an employee complains, investigate. You don’t want to end up like Tyson Foods.

Tyson owns Hillshire Brands Co., which is the parent company for Sara Lee.

African-American bakery workers at a Sara Lee plant in Paris, TX, said they complained to management about being subjected to racial slurs and racist bathroom graffiti. The workers then claimed those complaints went unaddressed, which allowed the slurs and graffiti to continue.

As a result, the workers complained to the EEOC that they were being subjected to a racially hostile work environment.

The EEOC investigated and found that the slurs and graffiti continued for years, until the plant closed its doors in 2011, according to Meaghan L. Shepard, trial attorney for the Dallas District of the EEOC.

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