Woman Fired for Discrimination Complaint

Woman Fired for Discrimination Complaint

Things blow up after company punished female employee for complaining about unlawful discrimination and hostile work environment.

A male site superintendent at a nuclear power plant in South Carolina harassed a female planner who was hired to address a power outage. She notified company management, and according to her complaint, the site superintendent created a hostile work environment by being “aggressive, intimidating, sarcastic and condescending” with her because she was a woman.

A vice president completed a relatively prompt investigation into the female worker’s complaint. The vice president fired her two days later.

The EEOC announced a settlement with the company on April 27, 2015. The company must pay $65,000 to the victim who was fired in retaliation for filing a complaint of workplace discrimination.

Retaliation against workers who lodge claims of workplace discrimination is illegal under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Case Outcomes

Monetary fine: $65,000

Employer must:

• Provide annual training to all supervisors, managers, and employees, to prevent future retaliation
• Provide names of employees who complained about discrimination and who were thereafter subjected to adverse employment actions
• Post a notice regarding workers’ rights protected by the EEOC

Lessons Learned

• When a worker has lodged a discrimination claim, an employer must be cautious about any action that might be perceived as an adverse workplace action (such as termination or demotion) – even after concluding an investigation
• Document, investigate, and resolve every claim of discrimination
• Consider hiring third-party investigators to probe discrimination claims

This Employment Law News blog is intended for market awareness only, it is not to be used for legal advice or counsel.