Dallas Auto Dealer That Gave Employee Racist ‘Trophy’ Fined $22K

AOD Ventures, Inc. doing business as Autos of Dallas, a local retailer of pre-owned vehicles in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, will pay $22,500 and furnish other relief to settle a race discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.

According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, car salesman Jonathon Sellers, who is Black, attended a December 2019 holiday party in which management called him to the front of the room and handed Sellers a trophy labeling him as the employee “Least Likely to Be Seen in the Dark.” Sellers and other employees in attendance found the trophy offensive. As alleged in the EEOC’s complaint, Sellers complained about the trophy to Autos of Dallas’ general manager, but no remedial action was taken in response to his complaints. After Sellers returned to work following the holiday party, other employees teased Sellers about the trophy and subjected him to offensive comments.

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race and color. The EEOC filed suit, Civil Action No. 4:21-CV-00418, in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

Under the consent decree resolving the lawsuit, along with the monetary damages, Autos of Dallas agrees to implement training for all employees regarding race discrimination and race harassment. The two-year decree also enjoins Autos of Dallas from any illegal employment practice that discriminates on the basis of race, including race harassment that creates a hostile work environment.

Source: EEOC

Topics Auto