Racism in the Workplace: Passed Over For Promotions & Raises

Just because you have a highly specialized job, it does not mean that you will not be affected by systemic racism and all the injustices symptomatic of it while working there. Although people who aspire to work in universities might imagine them as idyllic places where ideas speak for themselves, there is racism in the university, just like there is racism everywhere else. Racial discrimination by employers begins when human resources employees and search committees begin reviewing applications, and it continues every day. African-Americans and other People of Color are frequently disrespected, underestimated, and subjected to overtly and covertly racist words and deeds on the part of their white co-workers. Speaking to the management of your workplace usually does not solve the problem; it can even lead to retaliation, making for an even more hostile work environment. Employment discrimination lawsuits are a remedy available to you if you have been mistreated at work because of your race.

Black Employee Alleges That Rutgers University Violated Law Against Discrimination

Eleanor Bullock, a Black woman who immigrated to the United States from Belize, began working as an assistant buyer in the Procurement Department at Rutgers University in 1998, shortly after she graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University. In 2003, she was promoted to the position of buyer. Since that time, she has earned two master’s degrees; although she has applied for further promotions at Rutgers, she has always been denied them. Meanwhile, the university has hired white men and women to fill the positions for which Bullock applied and for which she is qualified. She received form letter rejection emails for her applications, and whenever she asked senior management why she was not selected, she never received a response.

Bullock’s current position title is category analyst, and although she has been assigned the responsibilities of a more senior employee and successfully fulfilled these responsibilities, she has not received a salary increase in years. A spokesperson for the university said that Bullock’s current salary is just over $67,000 per year but did not comment on her income history.

In early 2020, Bullock filed a lawsuit against Rutgers University and its Procurement Department for racial discrimination. The lawsuit alleges that she has never received any institutional support or guidance from managers who have willingly acted as mentors to white employees. She is requesting reinstatement of her “right position” with the requisite salary increase to be applied retroactively, as well as compensatory damages.

Seek Justice and Call your Employer to Account About Systemic Racism

Systemic racism is not going away on its own. Every lawsuit that aims to hold employers responsible for racist policies and actions, even when they claim that their mistreatment of you was not racially motivated, is a courageous action in pursuit of justice. Employment discrimination lawyers will work with you toward this goal. Contact McOmber McOmber & Luber in Red Bank, New Jersey to discuss your case.