LOCKHEED SETTLES RACIAL-DISCRIMINATION SUIT
It was heartening to read in the January 3, 2008 edition of the Wall Street Journal, that Lockheed Martin Corp. settled a race discrimination claim for 2.5 million dollars. The article went on to state that this was the largest individual race discrimination payment obtained by the EEOC. The fact that this settlement was reported at the start of a new year, perhaps might provide us with a prediction of things still to come.
It is clear to all of us practicing in the field of employee rights, that the strength and persistence of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) can be a strong factor in providing a message to employers. In fact, it is believed by some that the EEOC is particularly interested in moving forward with high visibility matters because it helps send a message to the workplace that the EEOC is there to provide some measure of control over what would otherwise be a workplace that has minimal policing. The more visible the company involved, the more visible is the message. In this case, the settlement was said to be one of the largest individual race discrimination settlements obtained by the EEOC.
The article reflected figures provided by EEOC officials, which stated that race discrimination complaints reached 7,000 in FY 2007, up from 3,268 in FY 1990. The EEOC was said to have launched a strong effort to broaden education and intensify enforcement against race discrimination in the workplace. The fact is, discrimination in the workplace, in all its many forms, should become the subject of greater effort and stronger surveillance not only by the EEOC, but from individuals who are afflicted with discriminatory workplaces and fail to act upon it. The rallying cry should not simply be emanating from our EEOC, but from all of those individuals who suffer from the curse of discrimination. Just as the EEOC is available, so are the courts who have been provided with laws by the federal government, by many state governments, and in some cases, even local laws such as the City law, which is available in New York.
If you believe you have been discriminated against because of your age, race, gender, disability, or any other form of discrimination, seek help from an attorney practicing in the field of employment law. We would be pleased to offer that assistance should you desire.
