In June 2001, the New Orleans District Office of the EEOC brought this lawsuit against The Industrial Company, a construction company, alleging discrimination on the basis of race in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Specifically, the complaint alleged that the defendants, African-American applicants, were denied construction positions due to their race, black or that its hiring policies had a disparate impact on black applicants. Following several motions to dismiss by the plaintiff and some discovery, the parties settled the lawsuit in December 2002 through a consent decree.

The three-year decree, containing a non-discrimination and non-retaliation clause, required the defendant to: retain, annually report and maintain searchable employment application records; comply with specified recruitment and hiring protocols and requirements; make good faith efforts to attract qualified African-American applicants; provide EEO training to managers and supervisors; pay $2,300,000 to a fund to pay class members, with the remainder to fund trade schools or colleges; pay $200,000 for a minority development program.

Daisy Manning - 10/29/2007


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