Company Subjected Black and Hispanic Field Mechanics to Verbal Abuse, Federal Agency Charges
ODESSA, Texas – Liberty Energy, Inc. doing business as Liberty Oilfield Services, LLC, subjected three mechanics to discrimination and harassment at an Odessa, Texas facility, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed today.
According to the lawsuit, a Black mechanic and two Hispanic co-workers were subjected to a hostile environment and referred to in derogatory terms, including use of the N-word and other slurs such as “beaner” and “wetback.” In spite of the employees’ reports to supervisors, management and Human Resources about the discriminatory treatment, no effective corrective or remedial action was taken by Liberty Oilfield. The EEOC’s suit charges that after making his report, the Black mechanic was forced by management to perform undesirable work tasks and was isolated by his peers. With no meaningful action by company management to change the workplace atmosphere and the discriminatory assignments that followed his complaint, he was ultimately left no alternative but to resign.
Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race and national origin. The EEOC filed suit, Civil Action No. 7:23-cv-100 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Midland-Odessa Division, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. In this case, the EEOC seeks back pay, compensatory and punitive damages and injunctive relief for the three mechanics, including an order barring Liberty Oilfield from engaging in discriminatory treatment in the future.
“These workers were the targets of many instances of flagrant harassment, but employees are neither required nor expected to submit to a hostile work environment because of their race or ethnicity,” said Joel Clark, a trial attorney in the EEOC’s Dallas District Office. “They should have a reasonable expectation that their employer will make an earnest effort to maintain a respectful workplace.”
Dallas EEOC Regional Attorney Robert Canino added, “It is not uncommon to see the tentacles of prejudice wrap around more than one group of workers at the same jobsite. The negative impact was allowed to continue when requests for relief from discrimination fell on the disinterested ears of the employer. It’s now incumbent on the EEOC to seek that relief and broader corrective and preventative measures against the discrimination through federal court action.”
For more information on race and color discrimination, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/racecolor-discrimination. For more information on harassment, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/harassment.
EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov.
