White's Bakery In Brockton Being Sued For Discrimination

Brockton MA

14 October, 2021

3:40 PM

Description

BROCKTON, MA — White's Bakery in Brockton will have to pay $95,000 in penalties and restitution, require anti-discrimination training for employees, and revise its policies in a settlement reached with the state Monday. The complaint against White's Bakery in Brockton was filed in Plymouth Superior Court, alleging three staff members violated the state's anti-discrimination law by creating a hostile work environment - by allowing another employee to be mocked and harassed because of his race and disability. The Attorney General's Office claims the harassment caused the employee severe emotional harm and forced him to quit his job. According to the lawsuit, the victim was employed by the bakery in 2018 and was routinely subjected to hateful language by his supervisor, some of which included various versions of the N-word, Attorney General Maura Healey's Office said. "No employee should feel unsafe at work or be subjected to offensive and hateful language by an employer," Healey said. "We have sued this company and its managers to put an end to this type of discriminatory treatment and will hold accountable those who create hostile work environments." "Workers should be able to go to work, do their job and go home without being harassed, mocked, and called racial slurs," said Phyllis Ellis, President of the Brockton Area Branch NAACP. "People discriminate against people who do not look like them because they think they can. I hope this lawsuit will help bring real change at White's Bakery." By conducting this lawsuit, the AG's Office is working to prevent the defendants from engaging in discriminatory conduct. They also are requesting the court to award compensation and damages to the victim for harm caused. The bakery will also have to undergo extensive training to change its policies and ways.