North Carolina Carrier Ordered To Pay $120K Discrimination Lawsuit

Caldwell Freight Lines of North Carolina has been ordered to pay $120,000 for a discrimination lawsuit with the EEOC for refusing to hire black workers.

According to the EEOC lawsuit, in 2011, Caldwell hired 38 white dock workers for its  Newton, North Carolina facility and purposefully overlooked the applications of 6  qualified African-Amercians.

“The suit accused at least one former Caldwell executive—who was not named in court documents—of stating that ‘he did not want blacks working on the company’s dock’ in April 2011, and that Caldwell did not have any black employees working on the Newton facility’s loading dock around the time of the alleged discrimination,” Business Insurance reported.

In November 2011, Caldwell filed for bankruptcy.

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina in Statesville ordered Caldwell to pay $120,000 to the 6 qualified applicants who were overlooked because of their race.

“Unfortunately, race discrimination in hiring continues despite the passage of Title VII nearly 50 years ago, and African-Americans are often the victims,” Lynette A. Barnes, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Charlotte District office, said in a statement released on Friday. “The EEOC will continue to prosecute cases where the evidence indicates that any form of race discrimination has occurred. All races are entitled to equal opportunity in the workplace.”

Caldwell Freight Lines is now out of business.  Should they re-open, the company will be expected to comply with the EEOC and Title VII.