EEOC Case Summary : EEOC v. Fire Mountain Restaurants LLC, d/b/a Ryan's Family Steakhouse

In June 2009, a restaurant, which was accused of creating a hostile work environment for Black, White, and female employees, settled an EEOC lawsuit for $500,000 and specific relief. According to the lawsuit, White employees were harassed because of their association with Black coworkers and family members, including being referred to as "n----r lovers" and "race traitors" by White managers. Additionally, Black workers were terminated because of their race, female workers were subjected to a sex-based hostile work environment, which included male managers making sexual advances and calling them gender-related epithets such as "b-----s.", and all complainants suffered retaliation for reporting the discrimination. EEOC v. Fire Mountain Restaurants LLC, d/b/a Ryan's Family Steakhouse, No. 5:08-cv-00160-TBR (W.D. Ky. June 15, 2009).