Workers Hit Xerox With Discrimination Complaints

In complaints filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Xerox workers ask that the EEOC sue the company on their behalf for not correcting what the workers charged was widespread inappropriate behavior.

In a news release, the workers in New York, Texas, South Carolina and California said they were confronted with the following situations:

• African-American employees were questioned as follows: “You’re coming in here kinda late. What have you been doing, selling crack all night?”
• small African-American dolls and Afro-picks were hung from nooses in the workplace.
• white employees and supervisors regularly referred to Xerox as “the ghetto” because the company had hired so many people of color
• a photograph of an African-American female employee was doctored by a white supervisor to portray the woman as a prostitute. The photo carried the caption “Five Dolla, Make Ya Holla.” This photo was repeatedly displayed throughout the workplace, according to the suit.

The workers also charged that they missed out on promotional opportunities and equal pay with white employees.

Finally, the workers claimed they were retaliated against when they complained about their treatment.