Findlaw (AP) reports: “Bechtel Sued Over Alleged Bias Vs. Iraqi”
“Bechtel Corp., which stands to reap as much as $680 million in contracts to rebuild Iraq, is being sued by the [EEOC], which claims the company discriminated against and fired an Iraqi employee in New Jersey.”
“The suit . . . alleged the company did nothing to stop discrimination and harassment against him after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and fired him in June 2002.”
“The lawsuit states that on Sept. 11, and continuing afterward, [the Iraqi-American employee] was subjected to physical attacks, as well as verbal assaults, including being called a ‘(expletive) Arab,’ and was told to ‘go home to wherever you came from.’ ”
“He complained to Bechtel officials to no avail, and was excluded from meetings without justification, according to the lawsuit.”
“The lawsuit is the EEOC’s ninth claiming post-Sept. 11 discrimination. The commission has received more than 800 complaints alleging discrimination against individuals who are or who are perceived to be Muslim, Arabic, Middle Eastern, South Asian or Sikh.”
“Nearly 100 people who claimed such discrimination have received more than $1.6 million in compensation through the EEOC’s enforcement, mediation, conciliation and litigation efforts.”
Clearly, the EEOC has been bird-dogging these cases to make a point.
Remember, sexual harassment principles are now routinely applied to harassment based on race, color, national origin, religion, disability. Responsiveness to complaints (and avoidance of retaliation for making complaints) is the key to successful prevention of liability.
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