CHICAGO — Murex Petroleum Corp. has settled charges by a federal agency of failing to stop one of its employees from being subjected to racial harassment.
Texas-based Murex reached a $50,000 settlement with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to resolve a lawsuit filed by the agency alleging an Africa- American employee at its Tioga facility faced racial slurs such as "spook, "spade," "Buckwheat" as well as derogatory terms such as "n--er" from white co-workers.
"Employers must recognize the importance of acting promptly to address complaints of racial harassment," EEOC Chicago District director Julianne Bowman said in a statement. "Racial slurs cannot be allowed to go unchecked in the workplace, and such behavior must be stopped immediately when the employer has knowledge of such misconduct."
"The EEOC will continue to combat racial harassment and discrimination," added EEOC Chicago District regional attorney Gregory Gochanour. "We are pleased with the company's quick action to resolve this lawsuit and make changes to address the problem of race discrimination in the workplace."
The settlement also includes Murex revamping its harassment and discrimination complaint procedures as well as reporting any racial harassment complaints to the EEOC for three years, the agency said.