Builder agrees to pay $625,000 to settle racial harassment suit

A Brooklyn construction firm charged with permitting black laborers to be subjected to years of racial harassment has agreed to pay $625,000 to settle a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission class action race harassment and retaliation lawsuit, the agency said Monday.

The EEOC said that for years, Laquila Group Inc., a prominent construction firm, subjected black laborers to the regular and open use of slurs, and that the harassment continued even though managers observed this behavior and some of the workers complained.

One worker who complained was laid off soon after and not rehired for other projects, the EEOC said.

“The racial harassment at Laquila ran rampant for far too long," said Jeffrey Burstein, New York-based EEOC regional attorney, in a statement. “Employers must recognize and act expeditiously on their duty to prevent workplace harassment.”

Under terms of the settlement, in addition to paying $625,000 to six victims, Laquila is required to establish a complaint hotline, distribute a policy prohibiting racial harassment and retaliation, conduct anti-discrimination training for managers, post a public notice about the settlement and report all racial harassment and/or retaliation complaints to the EEOC.

The company’s attorney had no comment.