A former employee of Southwest Airlines has filed a lawsuit against the company for race discrimination, alleging in part that his coworkers were allowed to establish a whites-only break room. New York employees might be interested in the details of the case, which was filed in a federal court in Houston. The complaint alleges that black employees were subjected to extreme race discrimination by the airline.
On one occasion, according to the complaint, Southwest employees made a noose out of bungee courts and hung it up at the airport in reference to lynchings of black people. The former employee says he first heard of the whites-only break room in 2013. He alleges that his supervisor was aware of the existence of the break room and failed to put an end to it. The complaint also claims that the former employee was terminated for not reporting damage to a company vehicle, while two employees who are white were not fired under similar circumstances. They were only given notices.
Workplace racial discrimination can take many forms. In a case where an employer has made employment decisions based on the race of the employee instead of his or her skills, the employee may have claims for damages under state or federal law. By gathering evidence, identifying liable parties or deposing witnesses, an attorney might help the client prepare for trial or develop the case to the point that settlement can be negotiated.
An attorney with experience in employment law might be able to help by filing a complaint for workplace discrimination in court. State and federal laws make it unlawful for employers to refuse to hire, fire, pass over for promotion, pay unfairly or otherwise treat employees differently based on race.
Source: Nasdaq, “Former Employee Sues Southwest Over Racial Discrimination“, RTT News, Sept. 21, 2018
