Alden Short and Hinson Jennings to Pay $85,000 to Settle EEOC National Origin Discrimination Suit

DALLAS – Alden Short and Hinson Jennings, a Dallas-based property management company, will pay $85,000 and furnish other relief to settle a national origin harassment lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

According to the EEOC’s suit, the owner and president and the chief operating officer (COO) subjected three Hispanic female employees to a hostile work environment at the company’s Richardson facility. The agency’s suit claimed top management officials made comments to the employees relating to their heritage, their parents, and children all relating to their national origin.

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits dis­crimination based on national origin. The EEOC filed suit, Civil Action No. 3:18-CV-2125-L in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

The three-year consent decree settling the suit was entered by U.S. District Judge Sam Lindsey on April 4, 2023 and prohibits future discrimination. In addition to the payment of damages to the Hispanic employees, the decree requires the property management companies to develop and implement a new employee handbook and to provide employees with annual training on discrimination.

“These three professional women were subjected to discriminatory criticism and comments from the owner and COO,” said EEOC Assistant Regional Attorney Suzanne Anderson  “One former employee said the COO told her he could treat her any way he wanted to because she is Mexican. That treatment in a workplace creates a hostile work environment that can constitute a violation of federal law.”

“The employees complained because these companies rent to tenants in predominantly Hispanic communities, yet management treated their Hispanic employees with disparagement or discrimination,” said EEOC Trial Attorney Brooke López. “This resolution points to a better approach that should benefit both employees and their employers.”

The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employ­ment discrimination. More information about national origin discrimination is available at www.eeoc.gov/national-origin-discrimination. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.