Port Arthur Employment Discrimination Attorneys

Department Store Chain Sued by EEOC for Retaliation and Discrimination

A major department store chain in Houston is being sued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for retaliation after it fired an employee who complained about discrimination for alleged “excessive absenteeism”.

Dillard’s store in Port Arthur’s Central Mall employed Shontel Mayfield as the business manager of Estee Lauder’s counter. According to the lawsuit, when Mayfield complied with Jefferson County’s mandatory evacuation order because of Hurricane Ike, she was told when she returned to work on September 24 that her employment is being terminated because of her absences. She was accused of failing to maintain verbal communication to explain her absences to either the store manager or operations manager.

However, telephone records show that Mayfield called Dillard’s disaster recovery number several times during the evacuation period. Further, records also show that she placed several calls to the store manager and operations manager’s cellular phones.

Mayfield claims that the termination of her employment was motivated by a prior discrimination complaint in which she alleged that the management discriminated against her because of her race.

The EEOC said that it is every company’s duty to respond to discrimination complaints and not find excuses to fire productive employees who make such complaints in good faith. The agency is seeking back pay, as well as punitive and compensatory damages in behalf of Mayfield. A permanent injunction prohibiting Dillard’s from retaliation is also being sought by the EEOC.

Retaliation is any adverse employment action or decision committed against an employee because he or she complained about harassment or discrimination, is considered a “whistleblower”, or exercised his/her rights under the law. Retaliation is actually prohibited under several Federal and state laws but under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers cannot retaliate against employees who complain about racial discrimination or other employment discrimination based on color, religion, sex or national origin.

If you or a loved one is experiencing retaliation at work, you should get in touch with an employment attorney. For a free case analysis or for any concerns or questions about discrimination and retaliation, visit the Mesriani Law Group’s website http://www.mesrianilaw.com or call them at their toll free number at 1-866-325-4529 or email them at info@mesriani.com for a free case analysis.

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