EEOC: Store Pays $60K and Agrees to 5-Year Consent Decree After Laying Off Black Manager in RIF and Later Hiring White Managers.

Yesterday, the EEOC announced that Shopper’s Vineyard, a wine and liquor store in Clifton, New Jersey, agreed to consent decree to resolve a race discrimination lawsuit initiated on behalf of an African-American store manager who had been laid off in 2006. Pursuant to the five-year consent decree, the store will pay $60,000 and institute new anti-discrimination policies and procedures, including appointing an equal employment opportunity coordinator to insure compliance with Title VII and other anti-discrimination statutes, training managers regarding Title VII requirements on a regular basis, posting a notice to employees at the store about the decree, providing reports to the EEOC, and permitting the EEOC to monitor its compliance with the decree.

In its lawsuit, the EEOC alleged that the manager “was the only African American front-line manager at the Clifton store. Shopper’s Vineyard told [the manager] in 2006 that he was being laid off because of economic reasons, but [he] was actually laid off because of his race. Shopper’s Vineyard retained white managers with less tenure and experience and hired many new employees, including four new white managers, within the year after [the manager] was laid off.”

Insomniacs may read the full press release at http://www.eeoc.gov/press/3-4-09a.html.

NOTICE: This summary is designed merely to inform and alert you of recent legal developments. It does not constitute legal advice and does not apply to any particular situation because different facts could lead to different results. Readers should not act upon this information without legal advice. If you have any questions about anything you have read, you should consult with an attorney.