Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Contact: Susan Klopfer, MBA
Group Klopfer
Cell 505-728-7924
sklopfer@gmail.com
www.susanklopfer.com
U.S. citizens are changing, whether they know it or not. "Besides getting older, our skin color is changing. Even our taste for food, how we dress and the religions we follow are undergoing major transformation.
"From businesses to families — new languages, new relationships and new music and entertainment are emerging into our lives," says diversity expert, Susan Klopfer.
People once called "minorities" are becoming the majority and are introducing a whole new set of likes and dislikes...and requirements, says Klopfer, who is also a civil rights author and diversity consultant.
Klopfer draws on vital statistics, like this data recently reported by the U.S. government: half the country's population will be members of ethnic minorities by 2050, according to the Census Bureau.
How can businesses−from banks to colleges (large and small)−adapt to what some see as chaos, and thrive?
It is clear, some organizations are having a very difficult time addressing the needs of new employees, Klopfer states -- "...those employees who are not part of the curret majority group, which is typically white and male."
“Unfortunately, some businesses are not recognizing the importance of the changing workforce and marketplace and many are being sued left and right over employment discrimination." Klopfer shares some shocking statistics:
In one major study using data from the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission, discrimination charges increased by 77 percent in a 7-year period. Of these complaints, 37 percent sued over racial discrimination, 31 percent charged sexual discrimination and harassment, 9 percent alleged discrimination based on national origin and the remaining 23 percent of the complaints were mixed, and included discrimination based religion, age, disability and other allegations.
Klopfer adds to this, a study by the U.S. Department of Justice finding that lawsuits claiming discrimination in the workplace more than tripled in the late 1990s.
“Here is the trend: more than 82,000 private-sector discrimination charge filings were received in Fiscal Year 2007 by EEOC, representing the largest single-year increase since the 1990s. Two years later, there were over 93,000 workplace discrimination charges filed with the EEOC nationwide during Fiscal Year 2009, the second highest level ever, and monetary relief obtained for victims totaled over $376 million.”
In fact, more people with disabilities filed charges of discrimination against their employers that year than at any other time in the 20-year history of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Klopfer adds.
But there is an answer, a way to take advantage of the unique opportunities embedded in diversity, Klopfer says, with education serving as the major key. She has announced four free, 30-minute diversity education webinars geared for business owners and executives. "But anyone can attend," she adds.
Titled "Five Costly Diversity Mistakes Companies Make -- And How to Avoid Them," each online session addresses how organizations and businesses often respond to diversity changes, "...unfortunately, too often in ways that damage their ability to market successfully to all segments of today's diverse populations. Companies will be challenged to answer such questions as −
Are you ready to attract new diverse and global customers? Will your company be able to hire and keep the best employees? Is your organization stuck with being afraid of getting sued because of discrimination or harassment perpetrated, without your knowledge, by your own untrained employees?
The Iowa-based consultant states workshops are available to "anyone looking for sensible answers to these questions and more." Attendees will receive a gift valued at $500, Klopfer said. "Each session contains the same information; we're mixing dates and times to accommodate as many people as possible."
Online session dates are set for Wed, Sep 8, 2010 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM CDT , Thu, Sep 9, 2010 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM CDT , Fri, Sep 10, 2010 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM CDT, Mon, Sep 13, 2010 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM CDT.
-end-
- End -
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
SPLC Settles Wrongful Death Suit of 73-Year-Old Retired Black Man in Louisiana
Aug. 30, 2010
Southern Poverty Law Center
Morris Dees, Founder
Dear Friend,
I'm proud to tell you that we've settled the lawsuit we filed on behalf of Louise Marie Monroe, the widow of a black man who was shot to death by a police officer in Homer, Louisiana.
Earlier this year, we filed a civil suit against the town of Homer, seeking damages for the wrongful death of Bernard Monroe. The 73-year-old retiree was enjoying a family reunion on Feb. 20, 2009, when two white police officers came onto his property. Our suit claimed that the police officers created a volatile situation when they chased Mr. Monroe's son into the family home and shot the young man in the back with a Taser gun.
During the commotion, Mr. Monroe went to check on Louise Marie, his wife of 49 years. As he was climbing his porch stairs, one of the police officers in his home shot him several times through the screen door. Because he had lost his voice to cancer, Mr. Monroe was unable to call out during the incident. The officers said they thought he had a gun; several witnesses said he did not.
Morris Dees and Bernard Monroe's widow, Louise Marie
The settlement will allow Bernard Monroe's family and the town of Homer to move forward from this terrible tragedy. The town's attorney, Jim Colvin, agrees that the settlement will help heal the community. "The town needs an opportunity to recover from this unfortunate event. This settlement is a key step in that healing process."
Because of the nature of the settlement, I'm not allowed to disclose the amount of the monetary damages, and the town did not admit liability. Both officers have left the police department.
One of Mr. Monroe's family members told me how grateful they all were for the SPLC's help, saying that "everyone we met at the Center was kind and considerate" and that the attorneys were "real people who cared about our family."
But we could never have won justice for Mr. Monroe's widow and family without your support. As you may know, the SPLC takes no portion of the damages we win for our clients. Your dedication to fighting injustice and intolerance enables us to take on cases like this. Please accept my personal thanks for standing with us in this important case and all the other work we do.
Sincerely,
Morris Dees
Founder, Southern Poverty Law Center
Southern Poverty Law Center
Morris Dees, Founder
Dear Friend,
I'm proud to tell you that we've settled the lawsuit we filed on behalf of Louise Marie Monroe, the widow of a black man who was shot to death by a police officer in Homer, Louisiana.
Earlier this year, we filed a civil suit against the town of Homer, seeking damages for the wrongful death of Bernard Monroe. The 73-year-old retiree was enjoying a family reunion on Feb. 20, 2009, when two white police officers came onto his property. Our suit claimed that the police officers created a volatile situation when they chased Mr. Monroe's son into the family home and shot the young man in the back with a Taser gun.
During the commotion, Mr. Monroe went to check on Louise Marie, his wife of 49 years. As he was climbing his porch stairs, one of the police officers in his home shot him several times through the screen door. Because he had lost his voice to cancer, Mr. Monroe was unable to call out during the incident. The officers said they thought he had a gun; several witnesses said he did not.
Morris Dees and Bernard Monroe's widow, Louise Marie
The settlement will allow Bernard Monroe's family and the town of Homer to move forward from this terrible tragedy. The town's attorney, Jim Colvin, agrees that the settlement will help heal the community. "The town needs an opportunity to recover from this unfortunate event. This settlement is a key step in that healing process."
Because of the nature of the settlement, I'm not allowed to disclose the amount of the monetary damages, and the town did not admit liability. Both officers have left the police department.
One of Mr. Monroe's family members told me how grateful they all were for the SPLC's help, saying that "everyone we met at the Center was kind and considerate" and that the attorneys were "real people who cared about our family."
But we could never have won justice for Mr. Monroe's widow and family without your support. As you may know, the SPLC takes no portion of the damages we win for our clients. Your dedication to fighting injustice and intolerance enables us to take on cases like this. Please accept my personal thanks for standing with us in this important case and all the other work we do.
Sincerely,
Morris Dees
Founder, Southern Poverty Law Center
Friday, August 27, 2010
Bob Dylan to Release Ninth Volume Bootleg Series; The Death of Emmett Till, Included
Rolling Stone
By Daniel Kreps
Aug 24, 2010 9:48 AM EDT
Bob Dylan will release the ninth volume of his Bootleg Series on October 19th, he has announced, confirming recent rumors. This edition will be the first official collection of the Witmark Demos, 47 songs that Dylan recorded between 1962 and 1964 for his first two publishers, Leeds Music and M. Witmark & Sons. The tracks -- which Dylan performed with only acoustic guitar, harmonica and some piano, all before he was 24 -- include early versions of classics like "Blowin' in the Wind," "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" and "The Times They Are A-Changin'," plus 15 more recorded exclusively for the sessions, including "Ballad for a Friend," "The Death of Emmett Till" and "Guess I'm Doing Fine." The deluxe set will feature a booklet of photos from those sessions and in-depth liner notes by Colin Escott.
Rolling Stone, Continued
By Daniel Kreps
Aug 24, 2010 9:48 AM EDT
Bob Dylan will release the ninth volume of his Bootleg Series on October 19th, he has announced, confirming recent rumors. This edition will be the first official collection of the Witmark Demos, 47 songs that Dylan recorded between 1962 and 1964 for his first two publishers, Leeds Music and M. Witmark & Sons. The tracks -- which Dylan performed with only acoustic guitar, harmonica and some piano, all before he was 24 -- include early versions of classics like "Blowin' in the Wind," "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" and "The Times They Are A-Changin'," plus 15 more recorded exclusively for the sessions, including "Ballad for a Friend," "The Death of Emmett Till" and "Guess I'm Doing Fine." The deluxe set will feature a booklet of photos from those sessions and in-depth liner notes by Colin Escott.
Rolling Stone, Continued
Civil Rights Author Talks About 55th Anniversary of Emmett Till's Murder; Spark That Set Off Modern Civil Rights Movement
Susan Klopfer, author
Who Killed Emmett Till
Aug. 27, 2010
This Saturday is the 55th anniversary of the murder of 14 year-old Emmett Till, an incident that galvanized the modern civil rights movement.
Do you know the story of Emmett Till? I am always surprised at how many people don’t know this story or recognize its historical significance. Recently, I met an anthropologist from a well-known Midwestern university who had never heard of Till. After telling her the story, she was deeply concerned that neither she or her students knew about Till. The story is still quite new and is just now becoming part of contemporary history taught in schools. But it is an important story and your children should hear it. Is your school teaching this history? Call and ask. You will be surprised.
In observance, the Emmett Till Foundation today kicks off a weekend of observances commemorating the 55th anniversary of his murder with its "A Time of Reflection and Remembrance" gala. On Saturday, the foundation will launch the "Never Again" campaign against social injustice, which continues the positive activist message of Till's late mother, Mamie Till Mobley.
The campaign includes the pledge:
I pledge to never again allow the ugly parts of our past history to become the present.
I will forever stand up against racism, hatred, injustice and crimes against our youth.
I will always stand up for peace, justice and equality for all.
The campaign's launch is on the actual anniversary of Till's lynching, which shares the same historic date of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech and Barack Obama's acceptance of the Democratic nomination for president.
For decades, Emmett Till's story has been defined by justice denied and justice delayed. But there is now an effort to mark a new and more hopeful chapter in the story of the Chicago teen whose savage killing galvanized the civil rights movement.
"We want to make sure people understand what hate looks like, and Emmett's story includes all of that. But where do we go from there? We want to flip the script on injustice and move forward," said Deborah Watts, co-founder and president of the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation.
Read more from the Chicago Tribune at http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/ct-x-c-emmett-till-foundation-campaig20100827,0,1316443.story
Meanwhile, a second group, the Emmett Till Memorial Commission has requested permission to place one marker in front of the location of the former grocery store called Bryant’s where Till allegedly whistled at a white woman, and another marker at the East Money Church of God.
Read more at http://uprisingradio.org/home/?p=15361
And an unnamed businessman from Texas is seeking to restore the grocery story in Money, Mississippi when young Till whistled at a white woman, a gesture that sparked the modern civil rights movement.
Today, Jerry Mitchel from Jackson, Mississippi wrote about the plan: http://blogs.clarionledger.com/jmitchell/2010/08/27/restoring-history-before-its-too-late/
I have spoken with the person, as well, and he seems quite serious about his plan..
If you don't know this important civil rights story (and the history of the modern civil rights movement), please pick up a book and start reading. Or, check out my ebook, Who Killed Emmett Till? You can download half of this book for free!!
Go to Smashwords at http://www.smashwords.com/b/8175 for a free sample.
Meanwhile, some say that Till's death kicked off the civil rights movement, but this is not so. The civil rights movement began the day that people were enslaved and brought to this country. There are many historical accounts of black men and women resisting enslavement starting back then. After the Civil War, following the First World War and leading into the Second World War, there are stories of significant attempts by individuals and groups to overcome enslavement and mistreatment. Till's 1955 murder caught the attention of Rosa Parks who then refused to sit at the back of a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama. It was Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. who then took the reigns of the modern civil rights movement.
Susan Klopfer
Who Killed Emmett Till
Aug. 27, 2010
This Saturday is the 55th anniversary of the murder of 14 year-old Emmett Till, an incident that galvanized the modern civil rights movement.
Do you know the story of Emmett Till? I am always surprised at how many people don’t know this story or recognize its historical significance. Recently, I met an anthropologist from a well-known Midwestern university who had never heard of Till. After telling her the story, she was deeply concerned that neither she or her students knew about Till. The story is still quite new and is just now becoming part of contemporary history taught in schools. But it is an important story and your children should hear it. Is your school teaching this history? Call and ask. You will be surprised.
In observance, the Emmett Till Foundation today kicks off a weekend of observances commemorating the 55th anniversary of his murder with its "A Time of Reflection and Remembrance" gala. On Saturday, the foundation will launch the "Never Again" campaign against social injustice, which continues the positive activist message of Till's late mother, Mamie Till Mobley.
The campaign includes the pledge:
I pledge to never again allow the ugly parts of our past history to become the present.
I will forever stand up against racism, hatred, injustice and crimes against our youth.
I will always stand up for peace, justice and equality for all.
The campaign's launch is on the actual anniversary of Till's lynching, which shares the same historic date of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech and Barack Obama's acceptance of the Democratic nomination for president.
For decades, Emmett Till's story has been defined by justice denied and justice delayed. But there is now an effort to mark a new and more hopeful chapter in the story of the Chicago teen whose savage killing galvanized the civil rights movement.
"We want to make sure people understand what hate looks like, and Emmett's story includes all of that. But where do we go from there? We want to flip the script on injustice and move forward," said Deborah Watts, co-founder and president of the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation.
Read more from the Chicago Tribune at http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/ct-x-c-emmett-till-foundation-campaig20100827,0,1316443.story
Meanwhile, a second group, the Emmett Till Memorial Commission has requested permission to place one marker in front of the location of the former grocery store called Bryant’s where Till allegedly whistled at a white woman, and another marker at the East Money Church of God.
Read more at http://uprisingradio.org/home/?p=15361
And an unnamed businessman from Texas is seeking to restore the grocery story in Money, Mississippi when young Till whistled at a white woman, a gesture that sparked the modern civil rights movement.
Today, Jerry Mitchel from Jackson, Mississippi wrote about the plan: http://blogs.clarionledger.com/jmitchell/2010/08/27/restoring-history-before-its-too-late/
I have spoken with the person, as well, and he seems quite serious about his plan..
If you don't know this important civil rights story (and the history of the modern civil rights movement), please pick up a book and start reading. Or, check out my ebook, Who Killed Emmett Till? You can download half of this book for free!!
Go to Smashwords at http://www.smashwords.com/b/8175 for a free sample.
Meanwhile, some say that Till's death kicked off the civil rights movement, but this is not so. The civil rights movement began the day that people were enslaved and brought to this country. There are many historical accounts of black men and women resisting enslavement starting back then. After the Civil War, following the First World War and leading into the Second World War, there are stories of significant attempts by individuals and groups to overcome enslavement and mistreatment. Till's 1955 murder caught the attention of Rosa Parks who then refused to sit at the back of a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama. It was Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. who then took the reigns of the modern civil rights movement.
Susan Klopfer
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Mississippi Scott Sisters Emergency; Jamie Scott in Crisis, Says Long-time Supporter
Nancy LockhartAugust 23, 2010 at 9:09am
Subject: Urgent ~ Please E-mail and Call For Jamie Scott ~ Once Again Jamie Needs Hospitalization
(This email just arrived from Nancy Lockhart. Remember these women when Haley Barbour announces his run for the presidency. Susan Klopfer, publisher)
Dear Supporters:
Jamie was hospitalized this weekend but, is now in the prison infirmary. The hospital scheduled surgery for her this morning at 8:30am to unclog the fistula in her arm which is used for dialysis treatments. Jamie was not taken back to the hospital for this surgery.
Please write Dr. Gloria Perry, cc Christopher Epps and Margaret Binghman. Flood their offices with e-mails and ask them to have this surgical procedure done immediately at the hospital. Your e-mails and phone calls have saved Jamie's life in the past and will continue to do so. Let these officials know that Jamie needs to be in a hospital NOW!
Dr. Gloria Perry - gperry@mdoc.http://www.facebook.com/l/80563ZFHpwgTcx4oid9jqDgDhGQ;state.ms.us
Margaret Bingham - mbingham@mdoc.http://www.facebook.com/l/80563ZFHpwgTcx4oid9jqDgDhGQ;state.ms.us
Christopher Epps - CEPPS@mdoc.http://www.facebook.com/l/80563ZFHpwgTcx4oid9jqDgDhGQ;state.ms.us
You may also call.- Dr. Gloria Perry - (601) 359-5155
Margaret Bingham- 601-932-2880
Christopher Epps - 601-359-5600
Thank you,
Nancy Lockhart, M.J.
Subject: Urgent ~ Please E-mail and Call For Jamie Scott ~ Once Again Jamie Needs Hospitalization
(This email just arrived from Nancy Lockhart. Remember these women when Haley Barbour announces his run for the presidency. Susan Klopfer, publisher)
Dear Supporters:
Jamie was hospitalized this weekend but, is now in the prison infirmary. The hospital scheduled surgery for her this morning at 8:30am to unclog the fistula in her arm which is used for dialysis treatments. Jamie was not taken back to the hospital for this surgery.
Please write Dr. Gloria Perry, cc Christopher Epps and Margaret Binghman. Flood their offices with e-mails and ask them to have this surgical procedure done immediately at the hospital. Your e-mails and phone calls have saved Jamie's life in the past and will continue to do so. Let these officials know that Jamie needs to be in a hospital NOW!
Dr. Gloria Perry - gperry@mdoc.http://www.facebook.com/l/80563ZFHpwgTcx4oid9jqDgDhGQ;state.ms.us
Margaret Bingham - mbingham@mdoc.http://www.facebook.com/l/80563ZFHpwgTcx4oid9jqDgDhGQ;state.ms.us
Christopher Epps - CEPPS@mdoc.http://www.facebook.com/l/80563ZFHpwgTcx4oid9jqDgDhGQ;state.ms.us
You may also call.- Dr. Gloria Perry - (601) 359-5155
Margaret Bingham- 601-932-2880
Christopher Epps - 601-359-5600
Thank you,
Nancy Lockhart, M.J.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
The Commission on Civil Rights approves motion asking Congress allow it to take Justice Department to court if it refuses to enforce commission's subpoenas and other "lawful requests"
ABC News/Politics
The Commission and Agency Have Clashed Over the Case of the New Black Panther Party
The Commission on Civil Rights has approved a motion asking Congress to essentially allow it to take the Justice Department to court if it refuses to enforce the commission's subpoenas and other "lawful requests" pertaining to a lawsuit against the New Black Panther Party.
ABC reports: Continued
* * *
Susan Klopfer, MBA, helps organizations discover and implement diversity plans. Visit Susan's website to learn about her free online workshop, Five Costly Diversity Mistakes Companies Make and How To Avoid Them. http://susanklopfer.com
The Commission and Agency Have Clashed Over the Case of the New Black Panther Party
The Commission on Civil Rights has approved a motion asking Congress to essentially allow it to take the Justice Department to court if it refuses to enforce the commission's subpoenas and other "lawful requests" pertaining to a lawsuit against the New Black Panther Party.
In a heated, often unruly meeting where tempers flared, most of the eight-member, conservative-heavy commission accused the Justice Department of failing to enforce the voting rights law in a race-neutral way in the case of the black panthers.
The Bush administration filed a voter intimidation lawsuit against three members of the New Black Panther Party in January 2009, alleging that they intimidated voters outside a polling place in Philadelphia in November 2008 by hurling racial slurs.
ABC reports: Continued
* * *
Susan Klopfer, MBA, helps organizations discover and implement diversity plans. Visit Susan's website to learn about her free online workshop, Five Costly Diversity Mistakes Companies Make and How To Avoid Them. http://susanklopfer.com
Friday, August 6, 2010
Sexual Harassment, Housing Discrimination, Nets female tenants Award
Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFriday, August 6, 2010
Jury Awards $115,000 to Victims of Housing Discrimination
WASHINGTON – A federal jury in Detroit today returned a $115,000 verdict against an Ypsilanti, Mich., man for sexually harassing female tenants in his capacity as a property manager, the Justice Department announced today. The jury also found the property owner and his company liable for the illegal harassment.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit, alleged that Glenn Johnson subjected female tenants to discrimination on the basis of sex, including severe, pervasive and unwelcome sexual harassment, in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act. The complaint also alleged that Ronnie Peterson and First Pitch Properties LLC, the owners of the properties, are liable for Johnson’s discriminatory conduct.
“Civil rights laws in this country – including the Fair Housing Act – seek to ensure that all individuals may live free from discrimination and harassment,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. “Today’s jury verdict reminds landlords and rental agents that tenants should never be subjected to sexual harassment and that the Justice Department will vigorously fight to protect tenants from illegal discrimination.”
Over the course of a six day trial, the United States presented evidence that Glenn Johnson subjected six women to severe and pervasive sexual harassment, ranging from unwelcome sexual comments and sexual advances, to requiring sexual favors in exchange for their tenancy. One woman testified that Johnson refused to give her keys to her apartment until she agreed to have sex with him. Another woman testified that she had sex with Johnson at least 20 times because he threatened that the owner would evict her if she did not.
The United States also presented evidence that Washtenaw County Commissioner Ronnie Peterson, who owned the properties, knew that Johnson was sexually harassing tenants but did nothing to stop it. One woman testified that she complained in person to Peterson about Johnson’s conduct yet Johnson continued to handle properties for Peterson for nearly two more years.
“Today’s verdict sends a message to landlords and rental agents that they cannot abuse their positions and sexually harass tenants,” said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Barbara L. McQuade. “Women should be safe from sexual harassment in their own homes.”
Compensatory and punitive damages in the amount of $115,000 will be divided among the six female tenants whom the jury found were victims of the harassment. The United States will file a post-trial motion seeking civil penalties against the three defendants as well as comprehensive injunctive relief. This case was referred to the Department of Justice by the Fair Housing Center of Southeastern Michigan.
Fighting illegal discrimination in housing is a top priority of the Justice Department. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex familial status, national origin and disability. More information about the
Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.usdoj.gov/crt. Individuals who believe that they have been victims of housing discrimination or have information related to this lawsuit can call the Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, e-mail the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov or contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777.
10-906Civil Rights Division
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFriday, August 6, 2010
Jury Awards $115,000 to Victims of Housing Discrimination
WASHINGTON – A federal jury in Detroit today returned a $115,000 verdict against an Ypsilanti, Mich., man for sexually harassing female tenants in his capacity as a property manager, the Justice Department announced today. The jury also found the property owner and his company liable for the illegal harassment.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit, alleged that Glenn Johnson subjected female tenants to discrimination on the basis of sex, including severe, pervasive and unwelcome sexual harassment, in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act. The complaint also alleged that Ronnie Peterson and First Pitch Properties LLC, the owners of the properties, are liable for Johnson’s discriminatory conduct.
“Civil rights laws in this country – including the Fair Housing Act – seek to ensure that all individuals may live free from discrimination and harassment,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. “Today’s jury verdict reminds landlords and rental agents that tenants should never be subjected to sexual harassment and that the Justice Department will vigorously fight to protect tenants from illegal discrimination.”
Over the course of a six day trial, the United States presented evidence that Glenn Johnson subjected six women to severe and pervasive sexual harassment, ranging from unwelcome sexual comments and sexual advances, to requiring sexual favors in exchange for their tenancy. One woman testified that Johnson refused to give her keys to her apartment until she agreed to have sex with him. Another woman testified that she had sex with Johnson at least 20 times because he threatened that the owner would evict her if she did not.
The United States also presented evidence that Washtenaw County Commissioner Ronnie Peterson, who owned the properties, knew that Johnson was sexually harassing tenants but did nothing to stop it. One woman testified that she complained in person to Peterson about Johnson’s conduct yet Johnson continued to handle properties for Peterson for nearly two more years.
“Today’s verdict sends a message to landlords and rental agents that they cannot abuse their positions and sexually harass tenants,” said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Barbara L. McQuade. “Women should be safe from sexual harassment in their own homes.”
Compensatory and punitive damages in the amount of $115,000 will be divided among the six female tenants whom the jury found were victims of the harassment. The United States will file a post-trial motion seeking civil penalties against the three defendants as well as comprehensive injunctive relief. This case was referred to the Department of Justice by the Fair Housing Center of Southeastern Michigan.
Fighting illegal discrimination in housing is a top priority of the Justice Department. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex familial status, national origin and disability. More information about the
Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.usdoj.gov/crt. Individuals who believe that they have been victims of housing discrimination or have information related to this lawsuit can call the Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, e-mail the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov or contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777.
10-906Civil Rights Division
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