RACIAL DISCRIMINATION: Lawsuit filed Against Heart of West Michigan United Way

December 20, 2010

Grand Rapids, Michigan – A racial discrimination lawsuit has been filed against A Heart of West Michigan United Way by one of its workers.

The lawsuit was filed in a US District Court by Benita Jasper, an African-American who alleges that the organization has a pattern of discrimination that caused her to lose a high-paying job, which went to a white worker hired by the agency.

Her claim was supported by a former worker, Dana Lovelady-Hoyt, who is also suing the company for retaliation after throwing her support to Jasper.

The two women are represented by Attorney Victor Mastromarco Jr.

In the lawsuit, he claims that Lovelady-Hoyt was found to have been subjected to a racially hostile workplace and that she was disciplined and constructively discharged after her discrimination complaints.

Mastromarco added to the lawsuit that the EEOC proposed that United Way pay Jasper $91,000 in back pay, $250,000 in punitive damages, and a total of $800,000 for all non-management African-American workers.

However, United Way disputed Mastromarco’s claim saying that the EEOC has already withdrawn the said proposal.

According to United Way interim president Bert Blake, they feel strongly that the lawsuits filed against them have no merits and he have not seen any inkling of racial discrimination within the organization.