Bob’s Tire to Pay $250,000 in EEOC Sex, Race, National Origin Harassment and Retaliation Lawsuit

Settles Federal Suit Charging Tire Company’s Owner Created a Hostile Work Environment

BOSTON – Bob’s Tire Company, Inc., a used tire scrap and recycling facility in New Bedford, Massachusetts, will pay $250,000 and provide other relief to settle a sex, race, national origin harassment and retaliation case filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.

According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, the company’s owner and a co-worker subjected a class of Hispanic laborers to egregious and constant harassment, which included inappropriate and unlawful comments, gestures, and slurs relating to sex, national origin and race. At least one employee complained to the owner about the harassment but, instead of taking remedial action, the owner retaliated against the complaining employee by mocking him for being in a romantic and/or sexual relationship with the harassing co-worker, effectively condoning the illegal harassment in the workplace.

This alleged conduct violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination, including harassment, based on sex, race and national origin, and prohibits retaliation against employees who object to such discrimination. The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts (Civil Action No. 1:24-cv-10077-AK) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

“The EEOC is committed to holding employers accountable for harassment in the workplace and to ensure every worker, regardless of their country of origin, is protected under the law,” said Kimberly Cruz, regional attorney for the EEOC’s New York District Office. “Employers have an obligation to prevent harassment from occurring, and the EEOC will hold employers accountable when they fail to prevent it or promptly remedy it where it exists.”

Acting EEOC New York District Director Arlean Nieto said, “Unlawful retaliation continues to be a problem in the workplace, and we will continue our efforts to ensure employers comply with the anti-retaliation provisions of the laws we enforce.”