My employment with Family Dollar Stores began March 10,1979 as a part-time cashier. My employment with the company ended August 13.
After working in the same store for 18 years, I found it necessary to file an EEOC charge against the company in 1995 when it was apparent to me that I was being overlooked for the manager's position which was opening up in the store where I was employed. I received a right-to - sue letter from EEOC, but I did not bring suit because I was allowed to assume the Manager's position.
As Assistant Manager at that time, I was already working in that capacity and had 18 years of on the job experience. Race was the only conclusion that I could come up with when a White female, with no experience working for the company, was hired and put in position over me, a Black female, and started off being paid more than I was making after my many years of service.
What transpired from the time that I became manager to my departure from the company were tactics, plots, and schemes aimed at gettimg even, retailiation is a better word, for having filed an EEOC charge against the company.
By me having filed a charge against the company, I was considered to be in a protected class amd any retailiatory acts against me had to be of a covert nature so that I would not be aware of them, and they worked.
While I am not at liberty to discuss what I endured during the years from 1995 to because of pending litigations, the public needs to be aware of the fact that racial prejudices still exist in companies. It only takes one or two persons in mangement postions to use their authority to influence others. It is virtually impossible for any company to dictate how their emloyees feel about race, religion, national origin, etc, and about diversity in the workplace, however companies have a responsibility to see that their employees behave ethically.
They also have a responsibility to follow up on reports of unethical behavior and not take sides. That is my reason for filing this second EEOC charge against Family Dollar Stores. The company itself may or may not have been aware of the actions of those persons that are named in my complaint, but when I reported how I was being treated, they took sides against me, instead of investigating my complaint. That makes them just as guilty.
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