Trucking company settles discrimination lawsuit for $65k after firing driver for religious beliefs

A trucking company agreed to settle a religious and racial discrimination lawsuit for $65,000 this week. 

The lawsuit was filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of Charles Lynch III, and former truck driver for Wheeler Trucking in Sheffield, Ohio. The settlement agreement was filed on Thursday, June 6th. 

According to Cleveland News, Wheeler Trucking agreed to pay Lynch $40,000 in backpay and $25,000 in damages for emotional distress after he endured racial harassment for nearly five years and was ultimately fired for his religious beliefs. 

Lynch is a Middle Eastern man who Torah Observant Christian, a religion descending from Israelites and Hebrews. Lynch drove commercial vehicles for the company from 2016 to January 2021 and says he was mocked for his religious beliefs and called racial slurs throughout that time. 

Supervisors made changes to his driving schedule in 2021, changing his shift to Saturdays. When Lynch informed his employer that he could not work Saturdays because he must observe the Saturday Sabbath as part of his religion, a supervisor reportedly responded “F–ck your religion,” and demanded he either work Saturdays or quit, leading to him being fired. 

The settlement includes 18-months of court-monitored oversight of Wheeler Trucking, which includes prohibiting the company from discriminating against employees and retaliating against them. The company will also be required to keep records on employee discrimination complaints and forward those to the EEOC for review.