Ford Motor Company Lawsuit

In November of 1995, fifteen employees of Ford Motor Company filed a lawsuit. They felt racially discriminated against in both salary and promotions. The suit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court said that Caucasians were being given better wages and more promotion opportunities than African Americans were. Ford disagreed with the charges and enforced the idea that people of all races in their company are treated equally. The suit was a nation-wide attack on the Ford Motor Company demanding that African Americans need to start being treated equally to Caucasians.

In July of 1999, Amtrak agreed to settle a race discrimination suit. African American management employees and African American applicants for management positions filed the suit. The suit stated that African Americans were discriminated against in management jobs, on the basis of pay, on the basis of promotion and on the basis of how Amtrak had a very racially discriminating working environment. The settlement made by Amtrak was for eight million dollars. This money would go to the employees who sued the company as a form of payback while they were out of work to help them economically. Amtrak also stated that it would make changes to make sure all of its employees are treated equal. The Amtrak President, George Warrington, does not believe the company is racially discriminatory in any way. However, he has agreed to make changes in Amtrak's hiring processes and promotions.

In November 2000, Coca-Cola settled a lawsuit of 192.5 million dollars. The case started a year before that and was filed by four African Americans. It represented 2,000 of their colleagues that worked with Coca-Cola anytime between April 1995 and June 2000. The four African Americans sued on the basis of unfair pay, promotions and evaluations. Coca-Cola also agreed to change the way their company hires, pays, promotes and evaluates employees. This is the biggest case of race discrimination in history.

As shown in the three stories, many parts of the State and Federal laws against race discrimination were violated. These stories are just some of the more recent stories that one can find dealing with race discrimination.

1) Who can file a race discrimination charge?

• An employee who feels his or her rights have been violated.
• To protect an employee, an organization or agency can file charges on behalf of the person.

2) How is a charge of discrimination filed?

• By contacting the nearest EEOC office. To find the nearest location, you can call 1-800-669-4000 or 1-800-669-6820.

3) There is a limit for filing a discrimination charge. This is:

• A charge must be filed with the EEOC within 180 days of the discrimination act in order for it to be effective.

4) What happens when a discrimination charge is filed with the EEOC?

• The person filing the charge is notified that EEOC has received the charge
• The EEOC then decides on a way to handle the charge that was made.

5) If discrimination by the EEOC is found, some methods of relief are given. These include:

• Re-hiring if the person was illegally fired.
• Pay given that the person lost while unemployed.
• Promotion in the workplace that may have not been given before on the basis of discrimination.
• Repayment of any court or attorney fees that the person paid for while going through the court process.
• Or other actions depending on the discrimination charge.

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