A Columbia tire company has agreed to pay $22,500 to an employee who was fired after he complained that Nigerian employees were treated better than native-born Americans.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced the settlement with National Tire and Battery Wednesday.
According to EEOC’s suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, NTB salesman Anthony Estreet was fired moments after he complained about national origin discrimination. Estreet told his managers he thought they treated Nigerians better than Americans, the suit states.
In addition to the monetary relief to Estreet, the settlement prevents the company from retaliating against any employee who complains about discriminatory practices for the next two years and requires managers to attend training courses.
“We are pleased that the parties could reach an amicable resolution of this matter,” acting Regional Attorney Debra Lawrence said in a statement. “We hope that the proposed training and emphasis on anti-discrimination policies will create an environment where employees can report unlawful discrimination without fear of retaliation.”
— Luke Broadwater
