EEOC sues FM management company for racial discrimination

LEE COUNTY, Fla.- Several employees at a local hotel claim they were fired for being black.

Now, the women have filed a lawsuit.

“We hope that other employers will take note that racial discrimination will not be tolerated.”

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, is suing Hospman LLC, a hotel management company that owned the Floridian Airport Inn on Treeline Avenue, back in August 2012.

The hotel is now known as the Four Points Sheraton.

In a federal lawsuit filed Monday, the EEOC says at that time the company’s CEO, Jose Carvalho, fired all the housekeepers, making it clear it was because of their race.

“They are clear statements that black employees are not wanted in the workplace,” said Kimberly Cruz, an attorney representing the EEOC.

Three former workers are named in the lawsuit.

One is the housekeeping supervisor, Tinica Jones, who was forced to fire the employees.

The EEOC says, “Carvalho told Ms. Jones to fire the housekeepers because ‘I don’t work with those people.'”

Another fired employee says she was told, “that Mr. Carvalho does not work with black people.”

“He didn’t disclaim that statement or say it was wrong,” said Cruz.

Jones herself was allegedly fired after Carvalho asked about her race, and she said she was black.

“Apparently her ethnicity was ambiguous to Mr. Carvalho,” said Cruz.

Employment lawyer Tammy Page isn’t associated with the case, but says it’s a big deal when the EEOC gets involved.

“The EEOC doesn’t get involved, unless there is an issue of particular importance, or if they find that there is a systemic violation going on,” said Page.

WINK News called the company named in the lawsuit, Hospman LLC. They tell us they will not make any statements at this time. The EEOC is looking for a jury trial and money for the victims.