The settlement agreed to by Waste Pro of Florida includes a “class fund” of $1.4 million, worker training and other steps to end racial bias in the workforce.
A Central Florida waste hauler has agreed to pay a $1.4 million settlement and provide specialized training on race discrimination to key employees to end a lawsuit filed by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The EEOC’s lawsuit, which was filed in September 2023 in the Middle District of Florida, alleged that Waste Pro of Florida had fostered a hostile working environment for 26 Black and Haitian American employees, who were the recipients of racial slurs and epithets from co-workers, including the N-word, “monkey” and phrases such as “go back to Haiti on a banana boat.”
Waste Pro managers were also accused of unfairly assigning the Black and Haitian American workers the most difficult routes and the worst trucks and equipment as they carried out the task of picking up the trash and items to be recycled from Jacksonville residents.
In a statement released on June 25, the EEOC said the harassment reached a tipping point when one of the workers pleaded with managers to remove a stuffed monkey holding the Stars and Stripes that had been placed in the employee’s work area. The company officials refused to do so even though the employee had previously complained about racial slurs from co-workers.
In an email to the Florida Record, Waste Pro argued that it has always had a dedication to creating a work environment free of discrimination and hostility.
“This case stems from events alleged to have occurred in 2022, and while Waste Pro did not find evidence of intentional wrongdoing, a settlement was reached to avoid lengthy litigation and refocus on our commitment to our employees and the people we serve,” the statement says.
The company said it has decided on its own accord to strengthen training for all Waste Pro managers and to improve the internal reporting system and communications to address harassment and racial-bias issues.
“The (consent) decree also requires Waste Pro to appoint an outside compliance officer to oversee the investigation of any race discrimination complaints Waste Pro receives at any of its locations throughout Florida …” the EEOC reported.
The consent decree, which will be in effect for at least three years, spells out the injunctive relief the company is required to follow.
“Defendant’s officers and managers shall not subject Black or Haitian American employees to racial epithets, racial slurs, threatening or intimidating behavior, physical violence, or deny Black employees the use of facilities, trucks, tools, truck routes and resources on the basis of their race, color or national origin,” the agreement states.
The EEOC will determine how the $1.4 million will be distributed among the class of workers who were the recipient of hostile workplace treatment based on their race, color or national origin between the months of February 2021 and December 2023.
The new compliance officer is required to provide yearly training on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for human resources employees as well as company supervisors and executives. The training must begin within 120 days of the effective date of the agreement, which is June 5.
“This case underscores the urgent need for the EEOC’s ongoing efforts to eliminate racism in the waste management industry,” the EEOC’s Miami regional attorney, Kristen M. Foslid, said in a prepared statement. “The EEOC will continue to use all its tools – including vigorous enforcement and litigation where necessary – to confront employers who tolerate race discrimination in their workplaces and hold them accountable.”
