The City of Chicago is on the brink of finalizing a $5.8 million settlement to resolve a lawsuit filed by 12 Black employees against the city’s water department, alleging pervasive racism and a toxic work environment.
The tentative agreement, reached on May 6, comes just before a scheduled trial in federal court.
According to CBS News, the lawsuit accuses white co-workers and supervisors of subjecting the Black employees to humiliation, harassment, and discriminatory treatment, denying them opportunities for advancement and fair compensation.
Attorney Victor Henderson, representing the plaintiffs, condemned the pervasive racism within the department, attributing it to a failure of leadership.
Henderson remarked:
“It was plain to anyone who looked that the racism cascaded from the very top of the organization… Shame on them.”
The lawsuit paints a grim picture of a department where racial discrimination was not only tolerated but actively promoted by management.
Allegations include the use of racially derogatory language, unequal treatment in promotions and overtime, and retaliatory actions against Black employees who objected to the discriminatory practices.
Furthermore, the lawsuit details a disturbing pattern of disparate treatment for injured workers based on race, reminiscent of Jim Crow-era segregation.
Black workers were allegedly forced to return to full-duty work prematurely and faced early retirement after exhausting workers’ compensation benefits, while their white counterparts received lighter duty assignments and full retirement benefits.
The toxic culture within the department was further underscored by a series of racist emails uncovered during a 2018 investigation by Chicago’s Inspector General.
These emails, targeting President Barack Obama, the Black Lives Matter movement, and Black NASCAR drivers, contained derogatory remarks and stereotypes perpetuating racial biases.
Despite the impending settlement, the City of Chicago has remained tight-lipped, with a spokesperson from the Law department declining to comment on the matter.
The settlement is contingent upon approval by the Chicago city council, although a timeline for the council’s vote remains uncertain.
