LOS ANGELES--A terminated African American employee of the University of Phoenix sues the university alleging race and disability discrimination.
The employee worked in the Information Technology Department in Gardena, California. He applied for numerous employment positions over the course of his approximate ten years of employment and was repeatedly denied, the suit alleges the positions were given to less educated, less experienced non-African American employees.
According to court documents, the employee was told in a job interview that the interviewer had “not met a black person as smart as Plaintiff and that she did not want to make changes” [referring to the employees race] to the Information Technology Department.
When he complained of discrimination, the employee alleges he experienced retaliation causing him to go out on stress leave. After returning to work following stress leave, the employee was transferred and within three months terminated.
The employee filed a lawsuit against University of Phoenix in Los Angeles County Superior Court, (Case No. BC462114, McCormick v. University of Phoenix, et als.). The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, and back pay and front pay, to prevent future discrimination at the University of Phoenix.
The lawsuit further alleges that university staff in Gardena referred to black students using racially derogatory names and advanced racial stereotypes among the significantly large student population comprised primarily of African Americans.
Though accused of discriminating against black students and employees, University of Phoenix recruits famous black athletes to attend its campuses.
University of Phoenix advertises that their famous alumnus consists of Shaquille O’Neal, former basketball player of the National Basketball Association, and Lisa Leslie, former women’s basketball player of the Women’s National Basketball Association.
Posted By: Siebra Muhammad
Thursday, July 19th 2012 at 1:03PM
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