Former worker alleges acts of discrimination
A North Las Vegas man has filed a lawsuit against a local taxi company alleging he was victimized by racial discrimination while employed by Nevada Checker Cab Corp., which owns the Checker and Yellow cab companies in Clark County and Star Limousine.
Cleavon Carter alleged he was subjected to racial slurs and at least one act of violence perpetrated by co-workers. After filing discrimination complaints with state and federal agencies, Carter said in court papers, he found a noose hanging in the mechanic shop where he worked.
It was one of several retaliatory attacks, according to the lawsuit filed Monday by Las Vegas attorney Jerome Bowen.
The allegations accused the cab company of allowing other employees to cast racial slurs upon Carter and then wrongfully firing him once he filed discrimination complaints with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which gave Carter the right to file the lawsuit in August.
Bill Shanko, operations manager at the taxi company, said that the issue has been ongoing for three years. He said corporate policy prohibited him from commenting further.
According to court documents, the incidents began in September 2004 when Carter was transferred from his duties as a detailer at Star Limousine to the mechanic shop. The first day on the job, Carter said in his lawsuit, a parts room assistant manager called him a "colored boy."
Carter alleged he reported the slur to a supervisor, who ignored it.
In March 2006, according to court papers, an unidentified worker gave Carter a "racist document" that listed "10 reasons why there are no black NASCAR drivers."
Later in March 2006, Carter alleged, he had just finished installing a camera system in a cab and struck up a conversation with a co-worker when a fellow employee pushed him into the door of the cab.
The two men reportedly scuffled and fell to the floor. The next day, Carter was taken by ambulance from work to Sunrise Hospital, where a CT scan revealed he had sprained his neck in the previous day's altercation.
Carter filed his discrimination complaints in April 2006. Afterwards, according to court papers, retaliation began.
In May 2006, Carter discovered a noose hanging in the mechanic shop, the lawsuit said.
That June, Carter filed a police report regarding the fight with the worker. Carter soon was fired.
The lawsuit alleged the cab company allowed the discrimination to continue unabated, subjecting Carter to mental and emotional abuse, loss of income and benefits, and physical injury.
Contact Doug McMurdo at dmcmurdo@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135
