Meritus Credit Union in Lafayette, La. has agreed to pay $110,000 to settle a
The $200 million-asset credit union, formerly known as Lafayette Schools Federal Credit Union, will pay $110,000 to a former branch manager after a suit alleged the CU used a racially offensive video as part of an employee training. According to an EEOC announcement of the settlement, the video depicted an African-American fast food worker providing an example of the wrong way to provide customer service.
Former branch manager Connie Fields-Meaux claimed she was fired because she and another employee opposed the use of the video. Fields-Meaux was said to have left the training session and later reported that another employee also found the video objectionable. Fields-Meaux said she was terminated days later without explanation.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it is illegal for employers to fire or retaliate against employees because staff members “explicitly or implicitly opposed conduct that he or she reasonably believed was unlawful,” according to the EEOC announcement last week.
EEOC filed its suit in July in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and under the three-year consent decree that settled the suit, Meritus Credit Union will pay $110,000 to Fields-Meaux along with providing a variety of other non-monetary relief, including regular employee training related to retaliation issues.
"I'm pleased that we were able to amicably resolve this action with fair and equitable relief," Rudy Sustaita, regional attorney for the EEOC's Houston district office, said in the announcement. "It is of paramount importance that those who raise concerns about race-based discrimination receive the protections to which they are entitled under the law."
A statement from the credit union said "While Meritus continues to deny the allegations in the lawsuit, we prefer the certainty of resolution over the cost of continued legal proceedings. The settlement is not an admission of liability, and we strongly maintain no violation occurred. We at Meritus Credit Union value the dedicated service of our employees and we are committed to providing a positive workplace environment with equal opportunity for all."
This story was updated at 11:11 A.M. ET on Fri., Dec. 28.
