Morley Missouri Construction Company Settles Racial Harassment and Retaliation Suit with EEOC

ST. LOUIS – Dollins Construction Company of Morley, Mo., has settled a race harassment lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC’s suit, which was filed last September, charged that Dollins violated federal law by racially harassing three African American construction workers and then taking reprisals against them when one complained.

In its lawsuit (Case No. 1:09-cv-00137), the EEOC alleged that three Black construction workers were subjected to unlawful racial harassment at a work site in Corydon, Ind., which included the use of racially charged comments and the display of a noose. The suit said that after one of the victims complained about the conduct to the owner of the business they were not sent out on any further jobs.

Racial harassment and retaliation for complaining about it violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a voluntary pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

The consent decree settling the suit, which was filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, provides for the payment of $15,000 for lost wages and compensatory damages, implementation of an effective anti-discrimination policy, training for all management employees and reporting and monitoring requirements.