Affordable Home Furnishings Settles Race Discrimination Lawsuit for $105,000

Background:

Affordable Rent-to-Own, LLC, operating as Affordable Home Furnishings, a furniture retailer and lessor based in Louisiana, has agreed to pay $105,000 to resolve a race discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Allegations:

According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, a white account manager at Affordable Home Furnishings’ Florida Boulevard store in Baton Rouge subjected an African American manager-in-training to a hostile work environment by repeatedly using racial slurs, including the "n-word." The African American manager-in-training reported the discriminatory behavior to higher management, but instead of addressing the issue, the company retaliated by terminating his employment. The lawsuit contends that the manager-in-training was fired shortly after making the complaint, which highlights the company's failure to provide a safe and nondiscriminatory workplace and its willingness to penalize employees for reporting discrimination.

Settlement:

The three-year consent decree settling the lawsuit requires Affordable Home Furnishings to pay the former employee $105,000 in back pay and damages. Additionally, the company must implement several corrective measures, including conducting training on anti-discrimination policies, revising its existing policies, establishing a complaint hotline, providing regular compliance reports to the EEOC, and posting a notice affirming its obligations under Title VII.

Key Takeaways:

• Affordable Home Furnishings has agreed to settle the lawsuit by paying $105,000 to the former employee.
• The company must conduct training on anti-discrimination, revise its policies, and establish a complaint hotline.
• Regular compliance reports must be provided to the EEOC to ensure adherence to the settlement terms.
• A notice affirming the company's obligations under Title VII will be posted.

Conclusion:

The settlement of this lawsuit emphasizes the importance of maintaining a workplace free from racial harassment and discrimination. Affordable Home Furnishings' agreement to implement corrective measures and compensate the former employee demonstrates a commitment to addressing and preventing such discriminatory practices in the future.