The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said Thursday it has charged Exxon Mobil Corp. for racial discrimination for allegedly failing to respond effectively to several instances of hangman’s nooses that were on display at its petrochemical complex in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Exxon Mobile denied the allegation.
The EEOC said in its statement that a Black employee found a hangman’s noose in January 2020 and that the company was aware at the time that three other nooses had been displayed at the complex, which consists of a chemical plant and a refinery.
The EEOC alleges that the company investigated some, but not all, of the prior incidents and did not take steps “reasonably calculated”
; to end the harassment.The agency said a fifth snare was reported in December 2020.
Exxon Mobil’s “actions and omissions regarding the string incidents created a racially hostile work environment,” the agency said in its statement.
The lawsuit accuses the company of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The company said it “promptly conducted a thorough investigation into this allegation” and found no evidence to support allegations of discrimination.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy for any form of harassment or discrimination in the workplace and have established multiple ways for employees, contractors, suppliers or customers to safely report incidents of this nature,” the company said, stating that employees are encouraged to report these incidents .
“All cases are investigated and anyone found to have violated these standards or applicable laws is terminated.”
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