Mediation Set to Tackle Racial Discrimination Suit against Mercedes-Benz Dealership

November 9, 2009

Anaheim - A court-ordered mediation session is planned on Tuesday at a Tustin law office in efforts to resolve a discrimination lawsuit against a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Anaheim.

The lawsuit alleges that the car dealership fostered racial discrimination and an environment of racial intolerance.

The lawsuit was filed in the Orange Superior Court last April by Garland Latta, 41.

According to Latta, he was subjected to racially charged comments from other employees that include “monkey” and the n-word.

He continued to work for the company until the end of October. He resigned from his post because he claimed that the employees were instructed to stop talking to him, which made the situation unbearable.

The first incident, Latta said, was when a co-employee told him that he ate like a (n-word). He then proceeded to complain to a manager nearby, but the manager failed to discipline the said employee.

These incidents continued on for the duration of the year he was connected with the company.

Latta said that he was not the only focus of the racial hostility. Other employees were targeted as well including a white colleague who was referred to as “white boy.”

Latta said he also reported the incident to management.

However, instead of disciplining the offending employee, Latta said that management told him that “you brought this to yourself. Should everyone watch what they say around you?

Latta said that he had a feeling that the people in the company believe that they can do or say anything at the dealership and he wants them to be held accountable.

The lawsuit also claimed that Latta stopped receiving all the sales credit he deserved and that his paycheck suffered.

Latta is asking for unspecified compensatory and punitive damages for the loss of income, humiliation, and the emotional and physical distress he suffered in the workplace.

The management of the Anaheim Hills car dealership declined to comment stating that the court action is pending and that it is a sensitive issue.