May 2008 Diversity Press Release

The following is a news release from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC): Razzoo?s, a Dallas/Fort Worth-based Cajun food restaurant chain, will pay $1 million and furnish significant remedial relief to settle a sex discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced on May 8, 2008. The EEOC had charged Razzoo?s with discriminating against a class of male applicants and employees. The EEOC said that Razzoo's refused to hire or promote men to the position of bartender in its restaurants. Razzoo's management set up and communicated to managers by e-mail a plan for an 80-20 ratio of women to men behind the bar, the EEOC said. Male applicants and servers were expected to testify at trial, which will now be unnecessary because of this pre-trial settlement, that managers told them Razzoo's wanted mostly girls behind the bar. Men who worked as servers at the restaurants were generally denied promotion to bartender because of their gender. The few men who were promoted to bartender were not allowed to work lucrative girls-only bartending events.

Sex discrimination violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement. "Some may think that sex sells drinks, but gender ratios are illegal," said Suzanne M. Anderson, EEOC supervisory trial attorney and lead counsel on the lawsuit (EEOC v. Razzoo's, Civil Action No. 3:05-CV-0562-P, Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division). "Razzoo's decision to hire and promote by gender is a clear violation of federal law. A hiring ratio is illegal whether it is 80-20 whites to blacks or 80-20 women to men."

As provided in the consent decree settling the suit, Razzoo's agreed to pay $775,000 to be divided among a class of male applicants, male servers and male bartenders who were discriminated against. Razzoo's also agreed to retain the services of a human resources consultant or to develop an in-house human resources department. The decree required that Razzoo's would spend no less than $225,000 for these human resources services. Also under the decree, Razzoo's agreed to injunctive relief requiring training on equal employment opportunity for all Razzoo's employees, the posting of an anti-discrimination notice and EEOC monitoring of employee complaints of discrimination.

“We are pleased by the breadth of this settlement, which will provide significant monetary relief to the class of male applicants and employees and strong injunctive relief to help Razzoo's develop workplace policies in compliance with the Civil Rights Act,” said Regional Attorney Robert A. Canino of the EEOC’s Dallas District Office. "Everyone deserves the freedom to compete and advance in the workplace without regard to artificial barriers.”

Razzoo's operates 11 Cajun food restaurants throughout the Dallas-Ft.Worth Metropolis and also has locations in Houston and Concord, N.C.

Learning Spanish is Key Business World

Miami Herald
April 14, 2005
Christina Hoag

For a couple of hours every week, Steve Flowers clears off his desk, puts incoming calls on hold and cracks the books -- to learn Spanish.

The Canadian president of UPS Latin America & the Caribbean, along with several other top executives at the Miami-based division, are making sure they're getting their Spanish -- or Portuguese -- up to speed.

Being able to speak Spanish is a key asset these days. According to a survey released this week by TheLadders.com, a website for six-figure job-seekers, executives say Spanish is the handiest lingo to know besides English.

The survey asked the website's registered executives what's the best foreign language to have and 61 percent of the 1,496 who responded said español.

The second choice was Chinese with 16 percent, followed by French with 8 percent, German 7 percent, Japanese 6 percent and Italian 2 percent.

The poll, which was conducted last month, has a margin of error of 2.6 points. It was not possible for multiple responses from the same person.

TheLadders Chief Executive Marc Cenedella noted that Spanish has taken on new importance because of the fast-rising Hispanic population in the United States.

"There isn't a business out there that isn't thinking about this rapidly growing segment of our population," he said. "An executive with a proven track record who can also move fluidly between English and Spanish is in a tremendously strong position right now."

Job Bias Charges Rise 9% in 2007, EEOC Reports

Discrimination Charges Highest in Five Years; Agency Obtains $345 Million for Victims

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received a total of 82,792 private sector discrimination charge filings last fiscal year, the highest volume of incoming charges since 2002 and the largest annual increase (9%) since the early 1990s, the agency reported today as part of its Fiscal Year 2007 enforcement and litigation statistics. The data, available online at www.eeoc.gov/stats/charges.html, also show that the EEOC recovered $345 million in monetary relief for job bias victims.

"Corporate America needs to do a better job of proactively preventing discrimination and addressing complaints promptly and effectively," said Commission Chair Naomi C. Earp. “To ensure that equality of opportunity becomes a reality in the 21st century workplace, employers need to place a premium on fostering inclusive and discrimination-free work environments for all individuals."

According to the EEOC’s FY 2007 data, allegations of discrimination based on race, retaliation, and sex were the most frequently filed charges, continuing a long-term trend. Additionally, nearly all major charge categories showed double digit percentage increases from the prior year -- a rare occurrence. The jump in charge filings may be due to a combination of factors, including greater awareness of the law, changing economic conditions, and increased diversity and demographic shifts in the labor force.

SNAPSHOT OF DISCRIMINATION CHARGE FILINGS WITH THE EEOC NATIONWIDE

Basis of Charge Filing	FY 2007	FY 2006	Percentage Increase/Historical Comparison
Race	30,510	27,238	Up 12% to highest level since FY 1994
Retaliation	25,663	22,555	Up 18% to record high level, double since FY 1992
Sex/Gender	24,826	23,247	Up 7% to highest level since FY 2002
Age	19,103	16,548	Up 15%, largest annual increase since FY 2002
Disability	17,734	15,575	Up 14% to highest level since FY 1998
National Origin	9,369	8,327	Up 12%, above 9,000 for second time ever
Religion	2,880	2,541	Up 13% to record high level, double since FY 1992
Total Charges	82,792	75,768	Up 9% larges annual increase since FY 1993

NOTE: Individuals may allege multiple types of discrimination in a single case.

Last year, for the first time, retaliation was the second highest charge category (behind race), surpassing sex-based charges in total filings with EEOC offices nationwide. Historically, race has been the most frequently filed charge since the EEOC became operational in 1965. In addition to the statutory bases of discrimination, charges filed with the EEOC and state and local Fair Employment Practices Agencies (combined) also trended upward for the high visibility issues of pregnancy discrimination and sexual harassment.

During FY 2007, pregnancy charges surged to a record high level of 5,587, up 14% from the prior fiscal year’s record of 4,901. Sexual harassment filings increased for the first time since FY 2000, numbering 12,510 – up 4% from the prior fiscal year’s total of 12,025. Additionally, a record 16% of sexual harassment charges were filed by men, up from 9% in the early 1990s. Other year-end statistics released today show that the EEOC:

Recovered approximately $345 million in total monetary relief for charging parties, up 26% from the prior year’s total of $274 million. Nearly $55 million was obtained through EEOC litigation and more than $290 million through administrative enforcement, including mediation. Additionally, the agency obtained substantial non-monetary relief, such as employer training, policy implementation, reasonable accommodations, and other measures to promote discrimination-free workplaces.

Resolved 72,442 private sector charges, with a historically high merit factor rate of 23%. Merit factor resolutions include mediation and other settlements and cause findings, which, if not successfully conciliated, are considered for litigation. Most meritorious charges are resolved voluntarily with employers prior to any EEOC litigation.

Resolved a record 8,649 charges through its voluntary National Mediation Program (up 5% from the prior year’s record high), with a user satisfaction rate of 96% indicating that nearly all participants would return to the program in the future. At the end of FY 2007, the EEOC had entered into 1,269 Universal Agreements to Mediate (UAMs) with employers nationwide (154 national/regional UAMs and 1,115 local UAMs) -- a 15% increase from the FY 2006 level.

Filed 336 merits lawsuits (direct suits, interventions and other enforcement actions), including 116 class cases involving multiple aggrieved parties or victims of discriminatory policies. Significant injunctive and remedial relief was also achieved through litigation settlements, jury trials and court rulings. The agency’s litigation program increasingly focused on class and systemic cases as part of its national law firm model.

Conducted a record 5,658 outreach, education and technical assistance events nationwide, reaching nearly 280,000 people. The EEOC’s national outreach initiatives include E-RACE (Eradicating Racism And Colorism from Employment), Youth@Work, and LEAD (Leadership for the Employment of Americans with Disabilities). Other outreach programs focused on EEOC-enforced laws, mediation, and small business.

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the federal agency is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.