Chicago Approves $9.25 Million Settlement for Black Educators

Civil Rights

Hundreds of Black teachers and paraprofessionals will benefit from a $9.25 million settlement approved by the Chicago Board of Education on Wednesday, Dec. 15.

The board, while not admitting wrongdoing, agreed to give the Chicago Teachers Union the multi-million dollar settlement after being sued by them for the “racially disproportionate” layoffs and terminations of more than 400 workers over a three-year period.

The CTU filed a federal lawsuit against the Chicago Public Schools and Board of Education for laying off or firing African-American teachers and school staffers in “turnaround schools” in predominantly Black communities. After years of litigation, it seems that the union has achieved a breakthrough.

Sierra Creative Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Lawsuit Settled

Retaliation

Sierra Creative Systems, Inc., doing business as Addressers, a Paramount, Calif.-based printing, mailing and fulfillment company, has agreed to pay $690,000 to settle a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.

The EEOC’s lawsuit charged Sierra Creative with subjecting female employees to sexual harassment and retaliation at its North Hollywood facility. The alleged harassment included unwelcome touching, sexual comments and derogatory statements about women. The EEOC further asserted that Sierra Creative failed to adequately respond to complaints of discrimination made against one of its supervisors. In addition, the EEOC alleged that those who complained were denied hours and subjected to retaliatory harassment.

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

N.J. pays out millions in sexual harassment cases

Sexual Harassment

Soon after joining New Jersey’s corrections officer academy, Gina Marie DiPasquale was taken aback by what she saw as blatant harassment of female trainees.

DiPasquale, an instructor at the Sea Girt academy, complained to her superiors about sexually offensive cadences used in training, verbal obscenities, inappropriate touching of female trainees by male instructors and other issues, according to court documents.

As a result, she was called a “psycho-b—” and “snitch” by co-workers. She was also subject to on-the-job retaliation, sex and gender discrimination, sexual harassment and a hostile work environment, according to court documents.

Fed up, she filed suit against the state in 2005 and resigned. Last year, she agreed to accept $415,000 from the state to settle the case. As part of the settlement,