Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Newsroom
  3. EEOC Sues Integrated Broadband Services for Race and National Origin Discrimination
Press Release 09-29-2010

EEOC Sues Integrated Broadband Services for Race and National Origin Discrimination

Black Tanzanian Network Analyst Fired While White Counterpart Was Merely Disciplined, Federal Agency Charges

ATLANTA – Integrated Broadband Services, a provider of operational support software and back office services deployed by cable and broadband operators worldwide, violated federal law when it fired a black Tanzanian analyst because of her race and national origin, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it filed today.

According to the EEOC's suit, Civil Action No. 1:10-03106, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Rehema Gore was hired by Integrated Broadband Services in July 2008 as a Network Operations Center Analyst. As an analyst, Gore was responsible for monitoring elements that could degrade the quality of the network. On November 21, 2008, Gore was terminated by her supervisor because she left work 30 minutes early in order to beat traffic. The supervisor did not, however, terminate a similarly-situated white analyst in October 2008, when he left work two hours early on two different occasions during the course of a week simply because he was tired. The white employee only received written discipline, and that only after his second offense.

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement. The EEOC is seeking back pay, compensatory and punitive damages for Ms. Gore. The lawsuit also seeks injunctive relief designed to stop the race and national origin discrimination and prevent it from recurring in the future.

"This is a case with clear evidence of disparate treatment based on race and national origin," said Robert K. Dawkins, regional attorney for the EEOC's Atlanta District Office. "It highlights the importance of the EEOC's obligation to protect the rights of employees to equal treatment in the workplace. Employers need to understand that rules should be the same for all employees regardless of their race or place of birth."

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its website at www.eeoc.gov.