• 08
  • April
    2011

Employers have the right to hire whomever they want. In addition, most individuals are hired on an "at will" basis, meaning either the employee or the employer can terminate the relationship at any time and for any reason.

In California, the "for any reason" portion of that is limited slightly. Employers cannot fire an employee because of discrimination or in retaliation. However, one university is facing a lawsuit from nine employees because of race discrimination.

When the university was reorganizing their athletic department, many of the employees working in the department were moved to other departments. However, some were also fired. According to the lawsuit, the university had racial motives for letting go of some of the employees.

Of the 11 employees who were fired, 10 of them were black. In addition, of the employees from the athletic department who were moved to the new facility, only one black person who wasn't a coach was moved.

The lawsuit also claims that the racial discrimination started long before the university decided to reorganize the athletic department. The employees complained that their pay level was lower than their white counterparts, and they said they were given less overtime than the white employees. There were also more intangible complaints, including complaints that a receptionist did not forward emails to a black employee and unfair distribution of college football tickets.

When individuals are discriminated against by their employers, there are a few avenues they can turn down. Prior to filing the lawsuit, the 11 university employees filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). However, because the EEOC did not respond to the complaints, the employees are aggressively standing up for their rights on their own.

Source: Montgomery Advertiser, "Nine former athletic department employees sue Auburn University," John Zenor, The Associated Press, 25 March 2011