The San Antonio District Office of the EEOC brought this suit against the University of the Incarnate Word, in September 1999, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. The suit was based on discrimination against eighteen housekeepers based on their national origin. Hispanic employees were forced to speak English only at all times when at work, and were subject to harsh treatment if they violated this rule. The case settled after three postponements of the trial date and numerous summary judgment claims.

The consent decree entered on April 19, 2001 became the largest monetary award for an English-only case according to the EEOC. The total monetary compensation was around $2.44 million dollars. The first million was to be paid to each of the 18 employees in the class represented by the EEOC. The final $1.44 million was to come in the form of vouchers to each of the members of the class for a free education at the University of the Incarnate Word. Each of the employees, or their close relative, would get 8 free semesters of enrollment at the school. The Decree contained injunctive relief as well as monetary relief. The University was prohibited from discriminating based on national origin or having an English-only rule for three years. In addition they had to implement an anti-harassment program, a complaint procedure, and train their employees on national origin harassment.

Kevin Wilemon - 06/05/2007


compress summary