Six hostile work environment lawsuits at Boeing. Boeing considers itself to be a stellar employer, one that aspires to build values of respect and that is intolerant of harassment. A jury, however, found that the company fell short of that aspiration, and demonstrated just how serious the shortcomings were with a verdict awarding hundreds of thousands of dollars to a disparaged employee.
Details of the Boeing Hostile Work Environment Case
Roderick Marshall was a veteran employee at Boeing, having put in 18 years with the company. He tolerated jokes that were seething with racism without reporting them to supervisors. While management does not dispute this, they did not deal with the situation because, they say, Marshall failed to follow company protocol for reporting complaints.
Then one day, a white employee at Boeing twiddled with a string of rope, eyes on Marshall, Marshall could not have imagined what was to come next The white man tossed the rope to Marshall, who caught it, only to see that it had been tied into a hangman’s noose. Offended, Marshall had had enough. A jury awarded Marshall $350,000 in damages. Their judgment listed several problems:
- Boeing failed to prevent harassment;
- Hiring practices were negligent;
- Supervision of employees was lax;
- Retention of problem employees was negligent.
This case highlights the responsibility of employers to police the work environment in order to ensure that employees are safe in all regards. Unfortunately for Boeing, their court days are not over. Five additional lawsuits are currently in the works, all related to discrimination and harassment.
Defining a Hostile Work Environment
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) cites particular requirements in defining a hostile work environment:
- Demonstrations of discriminatory behavior directed toward a protected class (race, gender, age, sex, disability, or religion);
- Repeated, not isolated events over time;
- Actions severe enough that a reasonable person’s work would experience interference as a result of feelings of intimidation and/or abuse, or;
- Actions that prevent an employee’s ability to advance;
- A failure of management to respond to a known and/or reported situation, or;
- An insufficient response to the problem.
Building a Healthy Workplace Environment
As an employee, there are a number of things you can do to help build an inclusive work environment. Some suggestions include:
- Joining company activities and events designed to help employees network and grow relationships;
- Participating in additional professional organizations;
- Creating your own social groups with individuals from work, or who can help you with workplace issues.
Experiencing a Hostile Work Environment
In the event you are suffering from a hostile work environment, what should you do? Here are some tips:
- Keep dated notes about specific issues;
- File a complaint with human resources;
- Consider getting counseling to deal with the emotional repercussions.
Ultimately, you will want the aggressive and experienced legal team at Beck Law P.C., fighting for justice on your behalf if issues go unresolved. If you work in Mendocino County, Sonoma County or Lake County California, contact our Santa Rosa office for a confidential consultation today.