Federal Jury to Boss: Illegal to Use N-word at Work, regardless of Race

Quite an interesting legal case in that the accused felt it was perfectly normal even loving, to say it,
yet the recipient felt traumatized...


Federal jury rules it's illegal to use the N-word while at work even if you're Black

By Ap Reporter

A federal jury ruled last week that use of the 'N-word' is discriminatory workplace behavior, even when used among blacks.

A black New York City employment agency worker who was the target a slur-laced rant by her black boss has been awarded $250,000 in compensatory damages by a Manhattan federal jury.





The case against Rob Carmona and the employment agency he founded, STRIVE East Harlem, gave legal airing to what some see as a double standard surrounding the word: It's a degrading slur when uttered by whites but can be used at times with impunity among blacks.


But 38-year-old Brandi Johnson told jurors that being black didn't make it any less hurtful to be the target of what her attorney called Carmona's ‘four-minute [N-word] tirade’ about inappropriate workplace attire and unprofessional behavior.

Johnson, who taped the March 2012 remarks after her complaints about his verbal abuse were disregarded, said she fled to the restroom and cried for 45 minutes.

‘I was offended. I was hurt. I felt degraded. I felt disrespected. I was embarrassed,’ Johnson testified.

In closing arguments, Johnson's attorney Marjorie M. Sharpe said Carmona's use of the word was intended to offend ‘and any evidence that defendants put forth to the contrary is simply ridiculous.’

When you use the [N-word] to an African-American, no matter how many alternative definitions that you may try to substitute with the [N-word], that is no different than calling a Hispanic by the worst possible word you can call a Hispanic, calling a homosexual male the worst possible word that you can call a homosexual male,’ Sharpe told jurors.


But defense lawyers said the 61-year-old Carmona, a black man of Puerto Rican descent, had a much different experience with the word. Raised by a single mother in a New York City public housing project, he became addicted to heroin in his teens and broke it with the help of drug counselors who employed tough love and tough language.

Carmona went on to earn a master's degree from Columbia University before co-founding STRIVE in the 1980s.

Now, most of STRIVE's employees are black women, defense attorney Diane Krebs told jurors in her opening statement.


‘And Mr. Carmona is himself black, as you yourselves can see,’ Krebs said.

In his testimony, Carmona defended his use of the word, saying he used it with Johnson to convey that she was ‘too emotional, wrapped up in her, at least the negative aspects of human nature.’

Then he explained that the word has ‘multiple contexts’ in the black and Latino communities, sometimes indicating anger, sometimes love.

Carmona said he might put his arm around a longtime friend in the company of another and say: ‘This is my [N-word] for 30 years.’

‘That means my boy, I love him, or whatever,’ he said.

He was asked if he meant to indicate love when he called Johnson the word.

‘Yes, I did,’ he responded.





The controversy is a blemish on STRIVE, which has been heralded for helping people with troubled backgrounds get into the workforce. Its employment model, which was described in a CBS' ‘60 Minutes’ piece as ‘part boot camp, part group therapy,’ claims to have helped nearly 50,000 people find work since 1984.

Sharpe told jurors that STRIVE's tough-love program cannot excuse Carmona's behavior.

‘Well, if calling a person a N-word and subjecting them to a hostile work environment is part of STRIVE's tough love, then STRIVE needs to be reminded that this type of behavior is illegal and cannot be tolerated,’ she said.

 

Maybe people should grow out of using that word for any particular, even if the variant is a sign of endearment.

 

Finally people might get the message no one should get a pass on using that word.

 

I applaud this even though it will not work. Freedom of speech is the first right.

If this works, some of the guys on here are going to be in trouble. lol

 

......No one will question the rational disposition you three have for such a ruling....that is to be expected from men of intellect.......the question is: can you get the brothers in the inner city to share in your philosophy......

 

Yes it is the first Right, bu we see that comfort doesn't extend to business companies. Kind of ironic though how some music companies get a pass. For some that word IS business.

In this case, I don't get his justification to use it to her in that manner. He could have conveyed the same message without going there, IMO. Costly lesson for STRIVE.

 

I want to remind you that this was a 61 year old man calling a 38 year old woman the n-word. If this is how the older generation talks, it is no wonder people in my age range talk the way they do. That's darn shame about it all.

 

I watched "Lean On Me" last night...Morgan Freeman is the principle and when he addresses his staff he says that he is the HNIC...they bleep out the n word in the movie...back in the late 80s early 90s I never gave it a second thought...I now think that it is completely inappropriate for anyone to use it in any way shape or form....

how do I say this to the black men here and not offend...when you use the n word with each other in posts...it makes you sound ignorant

sad but true

 

Just say what you wrote. If they get offended, then that's their problem. No need to be PC about it if they aren't willing to listen.

 

true, but many times these are the same people that want to talk about the plight of the black man...when it's really black men holding black men down...

 

You my dear are getting a rep for this.

 

Exactly how does that work? :smt017 Walk us through it

I've been a black man a loooong time, and I've never held anyone down.

 

I too would like to hear it from Ms Bill O'reily about how I am holding black men down.

 

LOL. Cause you aren't doing enough of THIS.



Smile and be happy.
THat way we can all rise.:smt036

 

bill o'reilly...seriously? :smt017

this came from one of your own...I won't tell you who but I can assure you he is a very smart man

The African American community may never recover from the damage done via slavery in the US. We are too willing to accept ignorance and poverty. We MUST start with GREAT emphasis on higher education and investments in business & land.

 

I refer to you as Ms Bill O'reilly because you have decided to blatantly blame black men across the world for the actions of individuals just because these individuals have some of the same characterics as good black men. If this so called very smart man can't see how someone denigrating a group by blatantly making comments like this then he is not smart.

These attacks of blatantly blaming all black men shows something. Every one can read and see it.

There is being PC and then there is being right.

 

Alright... here we go again. Time for me to step in.

We are not trying to blame the whole race. We are trying to advocate for reform for a certain percentage of people in our race. It's not completely about who is law abiding and who isn't. This is deeper and more intense than that. It can even be psychological.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/201...rested-after-brawl-at-kindergarten-graduation

An example is here. A BW's soda drink was spilled on her clothing. It sparked an argument and a fight between about 8 people.

 

Mikey, That is her quote. She does not blame the black race. She blames black men. She blames you and me.

Please read that quote. I don't care what you wanted to interpret. It is what she typed.

 

Ok, you got me there. You're right, she forgot to mention that BW are a contributing factor also.

 

Per usual what does this crap you're posting have to do with anything, especially with help improving the black community? Why are the fuck ups & the ignorant of our people always being held up as the face of all black people while the vast majority of us who are doing what we should be doing treated as the minority?