DALLAS — A Dallas property management company faces allegations by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that it subjected Hispanic employees to racial slurs and derogatory remarks.
The EEOC has filed a lawsuit against Alden Short Inc. and its subsidiary, Hinson Jennings LLC., alleging violation of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. According to the lawsuit, two high-level officials at the companies made racial slurs and derogatory remarks about those of Mexican heritage to Latino employees, including saying Mexicans are lazy, uneducated and undeserving.
In addition, the companies had no human resources department or a designated person to whom a harassment complaint could be filed, the EEOC said.
"Harassment in any form takes a toll on all employees in a workplace," EEOC senior trial attorney Meaghan Kuelbs said in a statement. "When management not only permits that harassment to occur but spearheads the offensive and discriminatory behavior, employees have nowhere to turn."
"It is a disturbing disconnect to see that, while a company generates profits from the leasing of properties to persons of Mexican national origin, its management people so boldly engage in attributing negative stereotypes and voicing derogatory slurs about this significant segment of our population," added EEOC regional attorney Robert Canino. "Such employers may well find that there are also costs that affect their bottom line when it comes to misconduct that violates federal laws."