Massachusetts Bakery Agrees to Settle Race Discrimination Lawsuit

A Massachusetts bakery has agreed to pay up to $95,000 in penalties and restitution, require anti-bias training for employees, and revise its anti-discrimination policies to settle allegations that an employee was repeatedly exposed to racial slurs in the workplace, the attorney general’s office said.

The settlement filed Thursday resolves a lawsuit brought by the attorney general alleging that Brockton-based White’s Bakery violated anti-discrimination laws by creating a racially hostile work environment, according to a statement.

A supervisor at the business repeatedly used racial slurs in front of the mixed race employee over a four-month period in 2018, causing him to suffer severe emotional harm and eventually quit, authorities said.

Bakery management knew of the use of the slurs, but did nothing to stop it, the suit alleged.

The bakery denied the allegations.

“White’s Bakery is a responsible, progressive employer that has always opposed discrimination of any kind,” management said in a statement.

The bakery settled to avoid “the continued burden, stress, distraction and substantial financial obligations that accompany litigation,” the statement said.

Under the terms of the settlement, the victim will get $65,000 and the state will get up to $30,000.