Company charged with exposing African American workers to higher radiation
February 3, 2010 by Fred HosierPosted in: Chemical safety, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, Lawsuits
A company that processes radioactive waste in Memphis, TN, has agreed to pay 23 former African American employees to settle claims that they were discriminated against, including being exposed to higher levels of radiation than white employees.
Radiological Assistance, Consulting and Engineering LLC, dba Studsvik LLC, will pay $650,000 to settle the lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
According to the EEOC’s suit, African American employees were subjected to racially offensive comments by their white supervisor. The EEOC also said white managers subjected the African American employees to excessive radiation exposure, more than their white co-workers.
Allegedly the dosimeters that recorded the workers’ radiation exposure were manipulated to mask the true levels, the suit said.
The consent decree isn’t an admission of guilt by the company. Studsvik bought the company from its original owners. The purchase agreement included a provision placing responsibility for the settlement on the former owners.
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Tags: discrimination, EEOC, radiation exposure
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February 4th, 2010 at 11:12 am
In 2010, these things still happen. Wow!
February 9th, 2010 at 8:08 am
Sounds like a low cost settlement compared to the charges.
February 9th, 2010 at 4:43 pm
They got off easy the company that is
February 12th, 2010 at 9:46 am
Hum! That’s about $28,000 each. How much is discrimination ever worth?! Can they now sue for punitive damages for fraud, reckless endangerment, ect?
April 20th, 2010 at 9:42 am
Hard to understand how someone this stupid was in business working with dangerous levels of radiation.
Wonder how high up on the “food chain” this mindset prevailed?
April 20th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
Bill, how about starting with the EEOC, for allowing such a “small” fine to be leived against the company for 23 people. I also noticed they are all “former” employee. Why? What about their families, are they all sick now? How long ago did this happen? Noticed the new employer stipulated that “it wasn’t us. It was them.” We would like to think that this doesn’t happen in the 21st century, right?
June 22nd, 2010 at 11:48 am
I agree with the comments above. I am appalled that this is still happening in 2010. I am also wondering what happened to the “white managers (that)subjected the African American employees to excessive radiation exposure, more than their white co-workers.” Were they being held accountable?