In October 2024, LM Wind Power, Inc., a company that makes wind turbine blades, agreed to pay $125k to settle a racial harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) against the company’s Grand Forks, ND location.
The lawsuit alleged that White managers and co-workers subjected a Black employee to a hostile work environment with repeated racial slurs, insults, and derogatory phrases, such as the N-word, “monkey,” and tagging him on social media posts discussing “White power.” The lawsuit further alleged that the employee was subjected to racially charged threats of violence, including that a White supervisor threatened to “slap the black off” the employee, and when challenged, said he wished to hang the employee from a bridge or drag him behind a truck. The EEOC further alleged that when the employee reported the continued harassment, instead of taking steps to stop the conduct as it is legally required to do, LM Wind Power unlawfully retaliated against the employee by terminating him.
As part of the settlement, in addition to paying $125k, for two years, LM Wind Power must conduct trainings designed to prevent future discrimination, keep a record of all reported racial harassment and retaliation, serve as a neutral reference for the employee if he seeks new employment, post a notice explaining the case and its outcome in conspicuous locations throughout the workplace, and inform employees of their right to be free from harassment, discrimination, and retaliation and what is expected of LM Wind Power if issues are reported. The settlement does not constitute an admission from LM Wind Power.
What this means to you:
Work environments are diverse, and race-related comments and conduct have no place in them. Employers must take steps to create workplaces free from harassment, discrimination, and retaliation; must keep employees safe; must take steps to promptly, thoroughly, and fairly investigate complaints; must take action to stop improper behavior and ensure it does not recur; and must prevent retaliation.
Help your work environment become, or stay, a respectful one. Ensure your employees feel safe reporting concerns. Ensure your managers and human resources personnel know what to do – and what not to do – when they do receive a complaint. To learn how our Managing Within the Law and other programs can help, or to book a workshop, please call 800-458-2778 or send us an email.
Updated 12-02-2024
Information here is correct at the time it is posted. Case decisions cited here may be reversed. Please do not rely on this information without consulting an attorney first.
