Employees expect that the environment they will be working in is safe and that they are protected from anything harmful that they may come in contact with. Most are educated regarding harmful chemicals and the dangers of machinery that they may be required to use. What Texas employees do not expect, however, is that their environment is the hazard. Some workers may feel that they are being singled out to work in a toxic environment, believing that it is discrimination against them.
The corporation formerly known as Sara Lee is on the receiving end of a class action lawsuit by a group of its employees. According to the complaint, hundreds of workers were forced to perform their duties under dangerous conditions. Many of the employees were allegedly exposed to black mold, asbestos and other hazardous materials.
Many the workers involved in the lawsuit are black. The plaintiffs allege that black employees were intentionally placed into the toxic conditions because of their race. Many workers claim they suffered a myriad of medical conditions, such as cancer and respiratory ailments. In extreme cases, some workers lost their lives, reportedly from this exposure.
The collection of workers claim employment discrimination against the corporation. They are seeking to be awarded litigation fees and an array of financial damages. Texas employees want to feel that they are safe while they are in the workplace without fear of becoming ill from the environment. Any worker who believes that they may be in the presence of hazardous materials, or believes that they are being singled out to be exposed to them, may benefit by gaining an understanding of applicable state and federal laws for their protection.
Source: setexasrecord.com, Employees sue company for toxic work conditions, Joel Brakken, Feb. 7, 2014
