B&H Photo Pays Settlement for Discrimination Against Blacks, Women, Asians, and Hispanics
B&H Photo has agreed to pay a settlement discriminating against Blacks, women, Asians, and Hispanics. This is the second large settlement they have been required to pay in under a decade. The last occurred in 2017.
The current settlement addresses discriminatory hiring practices that B&H made between 2011 and 2021. The settlement could be paid to female employees, Black employees, Asian employees, or Hispanic employees who were passed up for promotion over that decade-long period.
A long history of discrimination
B&H’s history of discrimination goes all the way back to 2007. In 2007, B&H Photo agreed to pay $4.3 million to settle allegations that it discriminated against Hispanic workers. They did not admit any wrongdoing as part of the settlement.
In November 2009, a lawsuit against B&H alleged that the company refused to hire women in violation of federal, state, and city civil rights laws (the company was based in New York City). The lawsuit was brought by four women who sought class action status on behalf of all women discriminated against by B&H over the course of several years. The lawsuit sought $19 million in damages given B&H’s past discriminatory practices in conjunction with punitive damages to deter future discriminatory practices.
In February 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Contract Compliance filed a lawsuit against B&H alleging that the company had only hired Hispanic men into entry-level jobs at its Brooklyn warehouse. The allegations also indicated that the Hispanic workers were subjected to harassment and unsanitary working conditions. The matter was settled for $3.22 million. B&H did not admit wrongdoing.
Understanding the claims
B&H has been accused of discriminatory hiring and promotion practices, such as refusing to hire female workers, subjecting Hispanic workers to a hostile work environment, and refusing to promote non-white workers within their company. These are all violations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and are expressly actionable under the law. In other words, workers can (and did) file lawsuits against B&H, and these lawsuits were settled for millions of dollars.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 stipulates that all individuals must be treated equally by their employers regardless of race or gender. That means having equal access to jobs, promotions, and other company benefits as their white and male counterparts.
Talk to a Tampa, FL Employment Discrimination Attorney Today
Florin Gray represents the interests of Tampa, FL employees who have been subjected to discrimination in the workplace. If you have been passed up for a job or promotion, despite being qualified for it or harassed in your workplace based on your heritage or gender, you may be are entitled to sue your employer to recover damages. Our attorneys have spent years litigating these types of cases and can help you resolve your case with your employer. Call our Tampa employment lawyers today to learn more.
Source:
thephoblographer.com/2024/07/09/bh-photo-lawsuit-discrimination/
