Two Florida Construction Companies Sued For Race Discrimination

On September 30th, 2022, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that race discrimination in employment lawsuits have been filed against two construction companies in Florida. One of the employers is based in the Tampa area and the other employer is based in the Orlando area. Within this article, you will find a more detailed overview of the race discrimination lawsuits against the two Florida construction companies.

EEOC Lawsuit: Race Discrimination at Two Florida Contractors 

The EEOC has filed two separate race discrimination lawsuits on behalf of workers in Florida. Both claims were brought in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. The EEOC took legal action after the agency was unable to reach a resolution during the pre-litigation stage of the process. Here is an overview of the workplace race discrimination complaints:

• African American Employee Subject to Slurs, Fired in Retaliation: Alto Construction is an asphalt paving company based in Tampa, Florida. It provides services to businesses, property owners, and developers throughout the Tampa region. The EEOC alleges that an African American employee at Alto Construction was subjected to repeated use of racial slurs—the N word—by co-workers. The complaint also alleges that a white division manager at the company physically assaulted the employee in an inappropriate manner. When the African American employee reported the issue to management, he was terminated from his position. The EEOC is seeking remedies for racial discrimination and unlawful retaliation. The claim is currently pending in a Florida federal court.
• Minority Employees Subject to Slurs, Fired for Complaining: The federal agency has also filed a separate employment law complaint against an employer called J.A. Croson, LLC. The company is an HVAC contractor based in Mount Plymouth. It provides services in Orlando and throughout Central Florida. According to the allegations raised in federal court by the EEOC, management level employees at the company repeated used racially discriminatory language regarding minority employees. Specifically, the complaint alleges a wide range of slurs and other racially charged language related to African Americans and Puerto Ricans. When employees complained about the use of racially-charged language by management they were allegedly terminated from the company in retaliation. Minority workers also complained that they were assigned to less desirable tasks than their White counterparts

The sad reality is that race discrimination remains a serious problem in workplaces in Florida and across the country in general. Federal law (Title ViI of the Civil Rights) act bars race discrimination in employment at companies with 15 or more workers. Florida law provides similar protections. The statutes also prohibits employers from retaliating against workers who complain about racial discrimination.

 Get Help From a Race Discrimination in Employment Lawyer in Florida 

Employees deserve the opportunity to work in a safe, comfortable environment. They should not be subject to adverse treatment based on race, color, or creed. If you or your loved one endured workplace race discrimination in Florida, contact an experienced employment lawyer for help.