On August 15, 1997 a group of African American employees filed suit in the District Court for the Western District of Missouri against their employer, Thorn Americas, alleging that the defendant engaged in racial discrimination against African American employees in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1981. Specifically they alleged that Thorn Americas paid African Americans less than other employees and imposed harsher discipline on African American employees than it applied to others who committed similar infractions. The suit also included several African American applicants to Thorn Americas who alleged discriminatory hiring practices.

As discovery progressed the parties engaged in settlement negotiations. The parties were able to reach a settlement agreement for the putative class and on November 24, 1998 the district court (Judge Scott O. Wright) approved the class action settlement. Under its terms class members and the individually named plaintiffs received damages totaling $6.7 million.

Michael Perry - 07/15/2010


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